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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25317337">Pull Me Under</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/sweetly_disposed/pseuds/sweetly_disposed'>sweetly_disposed</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Emmerdale</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, Angst, Businessman Robert, Hate to Love, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Minor Injuries, Minor Violence, Pining, Police Setting, Secret Relationship, Smut, bodyguard aaron, use of firearms</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 02:56:01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>50,357</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25317337</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/sweetly_disposed/pseuds/sweetly_disposed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Working in the police force is all Aaron’s ever wanted to do. After years of training, he’s ready, waiting for the opportunity to prove himself. He doesn’t expect it to come in the form of high-profile businessman Robert Sugden, who has approached the station for help after being sent a string of anonymous threats.</p><p>After a rocky start, Aaron and Robert learn to rely on each other, and Aaron begins to see through the bad rep the papers have given him. But there is trouble around every corner, and Aaron must tread carefully around the developing relationship he has with the man whose well-being rests in his hands.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aaron Dingle/Robert Sugden, Chas Dingle/Paddy Kirk</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>151</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>403</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Ok I had this fic planned and half written for months, but then Robert got sent to prison and I was too busy crying to finish it. But! I figured I would keep going instead of abandoning it. So here it is!</p><p>Warnings: Police Setting, Use of Firearms, Injury, Trauma. I'm also not in the police force, so some artistic license has been used.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was raining. Again. </p><p>Raindrops pelted onto the pavement, drenching everyone and everything who dared venture into it. The streets were paved with puddles, little mirrors reflecting the grey skies overhead.</p><p> This was British summertime at its finest. The forecast had been for warm weather, endless blue skies filled with nothing but bright sunshine; weather that would usually be expected for mid-July. They’d been wrong, as usual. It had been raining virtually non-stop since Thursday and now, as Aaron made his way through gloomy streets filled with equally gloomy people, that promised balmy weather seemed firmly out of reach.</p><p>He veered to the edge of pavement to avoid the spikes of a large black umbrella coming his way. As he did, a van drove by, splashing muddy water onto the right leg of his trousers. The material stuck to his leg, chilly water running down and soaking into his sock. He jumped back from the kerb, biting back a string of curses.</p><p>The weather wasn’t even at the top of Aaron’s list of things to moan about that morning. It was Monday for a start, which was bad enough in itself, but then Aaron’s train had been delayed due to branches on the tracks, and now he had a damp trouser leg. The pouring rain was just another addition on the end of a long list of reasons why Aaron wanted to write today off and crawl back beneath the safety of his duvet.</p><p>The journey from his flat to the station was a relatively short one; half an hour on the train, three stops on the Tube, and then a five-minute walk along the river. It wouldn’t be difficult to turn around and head for home. He was already late; perhaps no one would even know he was missing. It was surely his best option at this stage; it was a fact of life that no day that started with wet socks could ever turn out to be a good one.</p><p>A disciplinary for failing to turn up to work wasn’t ideal, though, so Aaron pressed on. He dodged around a black cab stopped at the lights, and then jogged across the street to the station. Pulling one of the glass doors open, he stepped back to allow a woman pushing a pram to pass by, and then ducked inside, releasing a sigh of relief. He pushed his sodden hood off his head and headed for the stairs, taking them two at a time.</p><p>The second floor was in full motion. Aaron melded seamlessly into the bustling flow of people, keeping his head down and hoping no one noticed him coming in late. People marched in all directions, some balancing multiple takeaway coffee cups in their hands, others clutching armfuls of files, all of them with an air of someone Being Productive. The beep and whir of the photocopier sounded from down the hall as someone forced it into action. By the tell-tale clunking sounds it was making as Aaron passed by, he reckoned maintenance would be called out to fix it again before lunchtime. </p><p>He slipped into the office, shrugging his jacket off and heading for his desk. Shaking a few droplets of water off, he hung it on the back of his chair and then set his bag down at his feet. As he bent down to reach the power button on his computer situated under his desk, he stole a quick look around the office. Most of his colleagues were sat at their respective desks, and already there was the staccato click-clack of keyboards from around the room. No one appeared to have paid him any attention. He exhaled a little sigh of relief.  </p><p>“Late night?” said a voice from over his shoulder. </p><p>“Jesus!” Aaron started, jerking around in his chair. “What have I told you about sneaking up on me? One day I’ll have a gun in my hand, and then we’ll both get ourselves into trouble, won’t we?”</p><p>“Oh, someone’s in a sunny mood this morning.” Adam clapped a hand on Aaron’s shoulder and sat himself down at a neighbouring desk that didn’t belong to him. “Here,” he said with a grin. “Get this down you.”</p><p>He set a takeaway cup down in front of Aaron’s keyboard. Aaron groaned, curling his hands around it and inhaling the sharp smell of strong, decent coffee. “God, ok. You can scare me all you want if you keep bringing me coffee.”</p><p>“Deal.” Adam barked a laugh. A poor woman a few seats down from them jumped in her seat and glared daggers at the side of Adam’s head.</p><p>If Aaron hadn’t become completely immune to Adams' laugh, it would have made him flinch too, especially this early on a Monday morning. But eighteen months of working alongside each other on the force meant that  Aaron had become used to his lack of volume control.</p><p>They’d found each other in the station cafeteria at lunch time on their first day, when Adam had asked the person next to him in the queue for change for a fiver for the vending machine. That person had been Aaron, and from then on, they’d stuck together, muddling through the nerves of a new job. No matter where Aaron was in the station, he could guarantee that Adam wouldn’t be too far away. Not least because he took every opportunity to sneak up behind Aaron and make him jump. Aaron was working on honing his intuition, or ‘spidey senses’ as Adam called them, but he still managed to get his wits scared out of him on a regular basis, which Adam delighted in.</p><p>“Come on, then,” Adam said, setting his own drink down on the desk and scooting closer to Aaron on the wheels of the office chair. “What’s your excuse this time?”</p><p>“You make it sound like I’m late far more often than I am,” Aaron protested. He chose not to dignify Adam’s raised eyebrow with a response. “I forgot to put my phone on charge. It died in the middle of the night, so my alarm didn’t go off.”</p><p>“Likely story,” Adam said, and then stood, ignoring Aaron’s indignant noise. “Anyway, I just came by to tell you there’s a meeting in the briefing room at eight-fifteen. Not sure what it’s about but I heard that Sarge is going to be there, so I reckon it’s quite important. And you’re late already, so get your arse in there.”</p><p>Aaron glanced at his watch, seeing the second hand resting on twelve minutes past. “Copy that.”</p><p>“And,” Adam leaned in closer, “I heard noises that there’s a new guy joining the unit today. Transfer from somewhere. Hope that doesn’t mean they’re kicking one of us out!”</p><p>“If they are it’ll be you,” Aaron said flatly. “You’re a liability, aren’t you.”</p><p>“Piss off!” Adam aimed a slap at Aaron’s thigh. Aaron dodged it neatly and gave Adam a wink, which made him guffaw. The poor lady from a few seats down now looked positively murderous. “All right, get up, come on.”</p><p>“See you in there. Cheers for the drink.”</p><p>Adam tipped his own cup at Aaron, and then headed off, weaving his way in and out of the maze of desks and out into the corridor. Aaron watched him go, shaking his head slowly. How anyone could be that cheerful at this time on a Monday was beyond him. </p><p>Two minutes later, he slid into the free seat next to Adam at a table at the back of the briefing room. The coffee was doing its job, caffeine buzzing along his veins and shocking his nerves awake. He dropped a slightly battered notebook he’d found in his desk drawer onto the table and flipped it open to a clean page. The Sarge wasn’t there yet, so Aaron took a moment to relax in his chair, warm cup cradled between his hands. There was a quiet hum of chatter around them, the rustle of people pulling notepads and pens from their bags, the occasional ping of an incoming message on someone’s phone. At the front of the room, a tv had been set up, the screen still dark. </p><p>“Look,” Adam murmured, nudging Aaron in the arm. “At the table at the front there. You ever seen him before?”</p><p>Aaron studied the profile of the man Adam had gestured towards. He sat by himself, writing supplies set out neatly in front of him, pen, pencil, notepad, lined up like waiting soldiers. He looked to be in his mid-to-late twenties, around Aaron’s own age. Short, dark hair was combed neatly across his head. A pair of thick-framed, black rectangular glasses sat on his straight nose. He was looking idly round the room, sitting up a little straighter whenever anyone came through the door, and then relaxing again when he saw it wasn’t a person of authority. </p><p>“Don’t know him,” Aaron said, barely above a whisper. “D’you reckon he’s the new guy?”</p><p>Adam nodded once. “Gotta be, hasn’t he?”</p><p>The door swung open with a rush of air, and a woman strode into the room. At once the whole room sat up straight in their chairs, silence rippling across them. Paper rustled and pens clicked, and then all Aaron could see from their table was the backs of people's heads. She stopped at the front of the room, brown file in one hand, and set a plastic cup filled with water and a brown file onto the table closest to her. She looked up, surveying the attentive faces in front of her. </p><p>Sergeant Jeanette Williams stood at around five foot four, though she had a way of filling the space around her that made her seem bigger than even the tallest officer in the station. She had a stern brow and cold blue eyes, but her cheeks were soft, the corners of her mouth creased with laughter lines. Crow’s feet threaded from the corners of her eyes into her hairline, though Aaron had not seen her laugh once in the time he’d worked with her. If he had to guess, he’d place her in her early fifties. He’d never know for sure; no one had ever had the balls to ask her.</p><p>“Morning everyone,” she said, voice clear and level. “I hope you all had good weekends?”  There was a collective murmur of ‘Ma’am’ by way of reply. “Thank you all for being here promptly; apologies for the lack of notice. I understand you’re all busy at this time on a Monday, but this requires our immediate attention.”</p><p>She paused, taking her time looking around the room at them. Her eyes settled in Adam and Aaron for a moment, and Aaron found himself sitting a little straighter, schooling his features into something appropriately serious. He set his coffee cup down, folding his hands onto his lap. Her gaze dropped away, down to the file in front of her.</p><p>Under the table, Adam knocked Aaron’s knee with his own. “What’s she looking at us for?”</p><p>“How am I supposed to know?” Aaron lifted his shoulders and let them drop again. “Probably cos she’s kicking you out.” His grin turned to a grimace when Adam kicked his ankle. The officer in front of them turned and gave them a reproachful stare, and they fell silent, turning their attention back to the sergeant. </p><p>“Let’s get to it,” she was saying. “I’ve called you here to make you all aware of a new situation that we have been asked to assist with. The matter is of some delicacy; I’m sure I don’t have to remind you all the importance of confidentiality. A lot of you will know the person at the forefront of this case.” She paused to pick up the remote that rested in front of the tv and pressed a button. The screen flickered, and then a black and white photograph appeared on the screen. </p><p>There was a rustling of whispers as recognition swept through the room. Aaron frowned. That face was no stranger; it had been splashed across the front of every newspaper for months now. It was frequently on the evening news, too, highlighted with camera flashes from the paparazzi. The country’s media loved nothing more than hunting Robert Sugden.</p><p>“I can see by your faces that you know who he is,” Williams said a little dryly. “I’m aware that a lot of less than glamourous things are said about him in the papers, but I do hope you all remember how highly this department regards professionalism.” She paused for a moment, watching them. Everyone stayed perfectly still in their seats. “His, shall we say, <em>high profile</em> presence has brought about some trouble for Mr Sugden. He asked us for advice a few months ago when he received some anonymous threats, but this has now escalated; over the last week the threats have increased in severity. We have now been asked to provide police protection.”</p><p>Adam nudged Aaron in the arm, side-eyeing him. Aaron shook his head back minutely, nodding his head towards the new guy sat at the front. </p><p>“So, we’ll be putting teams in place for Mr Sugden’s personal protection. A day team, and a night team, to provide around the clock surveillance. From the office, we will be opening an investigation to determine when these threats are coming from, with an aim to bring them to a halt. For your reference, please see these copies here of the latest threat Mr Sugden received.”</p><p>She produced a stack of paper from the brown file, and the copies were passed around the room. Aaron took one from the officer in front of them and set it on the table between them.</p><p>Adam let out a low whistle from between his teeth. “Ouch,” he said. </p><p>Adam frowned, looking down at the piece of A4 paper in front of him. It was a full body image of Sugden, one that had been taken by without him knowing. It showed his side profile, his ear and one eye visible as he looked down the street he was stood on. Half the photo had been obscured by a brick wall, obviously taken by someone who hadn’t wanted Sugden to see them. The photo had been printed, and then splattered with red paint, droplets in the blond of Sudgen’s hair, on the grey of his suit. Aaron swallowed.</p><p>“As you can see, this has escalated into a threat-to-life situation, so we need to move quickly. Before we go any further, I’d like to take a moment introduce you all to our newest member of the department here,” she gestured to the man with the glasses at the front, who stood and turned to face the room, hands neatly clasped behind his back. “This is PC Finn Woodall. He has kindly agreed to spend the duration of this investigation with us and provide his experience in this unique situation.”</p><p>PC Finn Woodall pushed his glasses up his nose. He nodded a greeting to the room, gave an awkward little wave, and then moved to sit down again. His foot caught on the metal leg of the table and he all but fell back into his seat. Adam snickered, and Aaron elbowed him.</p><p>“PC’s Dingle, and Barton,” Williams raised her voice to them, and they both froze in their seats. “The both of you, along with PC Woodall, will form the primary daytime team for Mr Sugden. You’ll escort him during the day, and a night team will take over from you each evening to be stationed outside his residence. Dingle, you’ll be leading your team. I daresay all the training you’ve had will no doubt come in handy.”</p><p>She smiled a smile that could almost be considered friendly, if you looked at it from the right angle. Aaron couldn’t work out the meaning behind it, because his brain had wiped itself blank. His mouth hung open, and he floundered under all the eyes in the room that had turned to stare at him. </p><p>It was Adam’s turn to elbow him this time, hard, and in the ribs. Aaron blinked, clearing his throat around the lump that had formed there. “Yes, Ma’am.”</p><p>He barely heard the rest of the instructions, didn’t even catch the names of the people who would be on the night team. Adam was virtually vibrating with excitement in the seat next him, but Aaron just felt numb.</p><p>Who on earth thought he could be in charge team on a case like this? He’d only completed his training a year ago, and had only done small jobs before, like escorting controversial politicians to and from meetings on the odd occasion. He was nowhere near as experienced as some of the other officers. There was no way he was ready for something like this.</p><p>“There will be another briefing for the office-based team in a moment, but field teams, I’m going to ask you to head down to the weapons lab now.” Aaron swallowed hard at that. “After, you’ll be provided with Mr Sugdens schedule. Spend the rest of the day getting to know each other and preparing yourselves. You’ll meet with him at 0800 tomorrow at his place of residence. I’ll check in with you soon, but for now, are there any questions?”</p><p>“Ma’am,” a smattering of voices responded. One by one they got to their feet, filing out of the room. </p><p>“Aaron, mate,” Adam said, picking up Aaron’s coffee for him. “We’ve got to go, come on.”</p><p>Aaron blinked, gathering up his pen and still-blank notebook. He followed Adam out into the corridor and closed the briefing room door behind himself.</p><p>There was nothing for it, he thought. He’d have to quit his job. He wasn’t cut out for this. All the training he’d undergone, with weighty guns and bulky bulletproof vests had seemed hypothetical at the time. To have to use it to protect a real, living person? For it to be Robert Sugden, no less? No, give him back his politicians, he was way out of his depth here.</p><p>The papers weren’t flattering about Sugden at the best of times, god knew what he was like in the flesh. Aaron had been right after all; nothing good ever came from starting a day with soggy socks.</p><p>“Mate!” Adam bounced into him, throwing the hand that wasn’t holding his drink around Aaron’s shoulders. “Proper field work! We get to be bodyguards, how cool is that?!”</p><p>“‘Personal Protection Officers’, Adam,” Aaron said, correcting him in a voice that sounded slightly hollow. “We’re not in a film.”</p><p>“Oh, come on, this is amazing! And you’re in charge! I’m gonna have to get used to calling you ‘Boss’ aren’t I?”</p><p>Aaron balked, feeling a little sick. He turned around, scanning the hall for the nearest exit he could sprint towards, and spotted PC Woodall hovering close to them, hands shoved deep into his pockets. </p><p>Aaron side-stepped Adam’s excitement, making a beeline for their new teammate. “Sorry, mate,” he said, holding his right hand out. “I’m Aaron, this is Adam. Welcome to the station.”</p><p>“Finn,” he replied, taking his hand. “Thanks, it’s nice to meet you. I’m looking forward to getting started.”</p><p>Now Aaron could get a good look at him, he was a little taken aback. He didn’t like to stereotype, but Finn wasn’t someone he’d identify as being obviously involved in security work. He was slender, shoulders narrow and slightly hunched over. The lenses in his glasses were thick, and he pushed them up his nose every few seconds. He wasn’t unattractive, though; he might have been someone that Aaron approached in a club once upon a time. Aaron knew better than to judge people on their appearances, but he struggled to imagine Finn being threatening in any sort of capacity, much less firing a gun if required to.</p><p>“So, Sarge said you’ve done this sort of thing before?” Aaron asked, following Adam as he beckoned them in the direction of the lifts. To their left someone was smacking the top of the photocopier with the palm of their hand while it beeped pathetically.</p><p>Finn nodded. “I was on another case not long ago, same sort of thing, though the client wasn’t nearly as high profile. Can’t <em>wait</em> to meet Mr Sugden,” he said, grinning.</p><p>“He might not be as bad as we’ve heard,” Adam said diplomatically, pressing the button for the lift and watching it turn green. “I mean, who can trust anything the media says these days?”</p><p>“No smoke without fire,” Aaron muttered, and then caught himself. Despite his inner turmoil, badmouthing the person he'd just been assigned to protect was no way to proceed. This wasn’t personal. It was business. “But we shouldn’t judge him until we’ve met him.”</p><p>Finn made a small disapproving sound which Aaron chose to ignore. He took his coffee back from Adam, disappointingly lukewarm now, and they stepped into the lift, heading down to the basement. </p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>“Hi, Mum. Sorry it’s late,” Aaron said, phone wedged between his ear and shoulder as he stabbed the plastic film on his ready meal with a fork. He shoved it in the microwave and hit the start button before heading through to his living room.</p><p>“Hiya, love,” his mum cooed down the line to him, and Aaron smiled at the familiar fondness in her voice. “How are things?”</p><p>“Good,” Aaron threw himself onto the sofa in the living room. He felt for the remote blindly with one hand, finding it wedged down the side of the cushion and then pointing it at the tv. When the screen flickered, he pressed mute quickly and then leaned back, eyes on the screen as he spoke. “Just calling about some news I got today.”</p><p>“Oh?”</p><p>“Yeah, I’ve been given a new assignment. Field work, with a team and everything.” It someone felt even more real, even more daunting now he was saying it out loud to someone outside the force. “Personal protection for someone who’s asked the station for it.”</p><p>He heard Chas’ sharp intake of breath. “Oh, love that’s fantastic! See, I told you all that training would pay off, didn’t I? Come on then, who is it you’re working for?”</p><p>“Mum,” Aaron rolled his eyes even as he smiled. “You know I can’t tell you that. It’s confidential. And even if it wasn’t, I wouldn’t tell you; you’d tell half the family in ten minutes flat.”</p><p>“Cheek!” Chas huffed. “Oh, love, I’m dead proud of you.”</p><p>“Thanks. Everything ok up there? How’s Paddy?“</p><p>“Oh, you know, same old same old. He’s not been much company to me lately, ‘cos he’s obsessed with painting the nursery. Forest Green, Aaron. Who paints an entire nursery, floor to ceiling, Forest Green?”</p><p>Aaron snorted. “Reckon he’s the one with baby brain, not you. Are you ok? How’s little one?”</p><p>“Fine, love. She’s kicking, as usual. Her favourite time to move around is at about three in the morning, and then she settles herself right on my bladder.”</p><p>“Nice.” Aaron grinned. “Causing trouble before she’s even born. Sounds like a proper Dingle. Make sure you’re not doing too much though, yeah? Take care of yourself.”</p><p>“God, you sound like Paddy,” Aaron could almost hear her shaking her head. “Don’t you worry about me, just make sure you come home and visit your mum soon, ok?”</p><p>“I will.”</p><p>“And be careful in this new job of yours, ok? Be safe. Love you.”</p><p>“Love you too. Bye.”</p><p>Aaron hung up, staring at his phone for a moment and biting his bottom lip. He really needed to go home and see her soon, especially if the baby was coming in a few short weeks. It was moments like this that he really felt the distance between London and Leeds. When all he wanted was to give her a hug, it felt like she was a thousand miles away. </p><p>From the kitchen the microwave beeped. He pulled himself up and went to fetch his dinner.</p><p>He put the ten o'clock news on as background noise while he ate, only half listening to it. Barely two mouthfuls in, his ears pricked up at the sound of a familiar name. </p><p>“...tricky for high profile businessman Robert Sugden,” the newscaster was saying. “It has been a controversial few months for him and it could be about to get even more challenging. Despite calls for him to step down as CEO of S.R Sugden’s, it is rumoured he could be about to unveil a new project to raise-“</p><p>Aaron paused the tv as they flashed up a photo of Sugden’s face. The file he’d been given earlier still rested on the coffee table he’d chucked it on when he got home. He reached for it, flipping the front cover open. A passport sized photograph of Sugden was stapled to the top right corner of a piece of paper detailing his full background. Aaron paused the tv and settled back into his sofa cushions to read.  </p><p><strong><em>Full name</em></strong>:, it said, <em>Robert Jacob Sugden (RJS)</em>.<br/>
<strong><em>Age</em></strong><em>: Thirty-one.<br/>
<strong>Place of residence</strong>: Kensington, London.<br/>
<strong>Father:</strong> Jack Sugden, founder of S.R. Sugdens.<br/>
<strong>Mother</strong>: Sarah Sugden, aristocrat, co-founder of said company. Both deceased. </em></p><p>Aaron stared at that last word for a moment. He hadn't heard that both Sugden’s parents were dead. Despite all the media coverage on him, that piece of information had somehow passed him by. </p><p><strong> <em>Siblings</em> </strong> <em>: Andrew Sugden (Andy). Adopted. Estranged since 2013.<br/>
<strong>Spouse:</strong> None.<br/>
<strong>Children</strong>: None.<br/>
<strong>Pets:</strong> None.<br/>
Police protection in place at client’s request. <span class="u">Leading officer:</span> Personal Protection Officer (PPO) Aaron Dingle. Team to be confirmed.<br/>
<strong>RJS radio alias:</strong> Gemini.</em></p><p>Below that were dates of upcoming public appearances with times and locations. Aaron scanned them briefly, and then looked back up at the top of the page at Sugden’s photograph. The dirty blond hair and green eyes were familiar to him; they’d been splashed across the front page enough times, but the rest of him was something of a mystery to Aaron.</p><p>He’d hesitate to label the thing he was feeling as sympathy, but he couldn’t help but wonder what sort of life he led out of the public eye. With no obvious family or close acquaintances to speak of, what did he do when he wasn’t busy having his photo taken by the country’s media? No wonder he looked so angry all the time. Aaron passed the play button on the tv, watching the photo morph into a clip of Sugden retreating into a waiting car with heavily tinted windows. </p><p>Outside the last remnants of the summer evening had given way to darkness. Aaron got up and drew the curtains over the windows without bothering to turn any lights on. By the light of the tv he moved to the kitchen, dumping his plate in the sink. He moved swiftly through his routine of checking the doors and windows were locked, and then finally turned off the tv and shut himself in his bedroom. He lay in bed, trying to get himself to relax but knowing that, with the tight knot that had taken up residence in his stomach, sleep wouldn’t come easy to him tonight. </p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>Aaron rose before his alarm. He dressed in his suit, carefully checking his kit off as he put it on. Badge, gun, radio. Check, check, check. He clipped his radio onto the back of his belt, threaded the wire up his back and over his shoulder, then pulled his jacket on, leaving the earpiece dangling loose on his lapel. With a full half an hour before his team were due to pick him up, he sat at his kitchen table, a cup of tea held loosely between his palms. <em>His team. </em>Those two words alone made his stomach twist. Too late to run away now. </p><p>The only positive thing that Aaron was clinging to was that their first day wasn’t going to be as hectic as he’d anticipated. All they had to do was drive Sugden to his office, accompany him inside, stand guard, then take him back to his place of residence whenever he was ready. It was simple, he told himself. He’d done this before. He’d be fine. </p><p>A car beeped it’s horn outside the window. Aaron grabbed his keys and phone and locked his door behind him.</p><p>A fine mist of rain had started, drizzling down from dark clouds that looked heavy overhead, like they could burst at any moment and soak them to the skin. The wind was sharp, biting at Aaron’s cheeks.</p><p>“Morning, boss,” Adam said with a grin, leaning round from the passenger seat when Aaron pulled open the door of the black Range Rover that was waiting for him.</p><p>Aaron rolled his eyes at Adam. “Morning, Finn.”</p><p>“Boss,” Finn parroted, meeting Aaron’s eyes in the rear-view mirror and smiling when Adam laughed.</p><p>They were both dressed in dark grey suits matching Aaron’s, earpieces hanging over their shoulders. Aaron could identify with this; looking the same, acting the same. Being part of a collective and working together. He knew he could at least get that part of this job right. </p><p>“Ugh, please don’t make ‘Boss’ a thing,” he said, reaching for his seatbelt as Finn indicated and pulled out into the traffic.</p><p>“Well, calling you ‘Aaron’ isn’t very professional is it?” Adam replied. “What else are we meant to call you? Chief? Sir?”</p><p>“God, no,” Aaron said, grimacing. “Don’t even start with the whole ‘Sir’ thing.”</p><p>“‘Boss’ it is, then.” Adam nodded, satisfied, and settled back into his seat. </p><p>Aaron chose to leave that argument for later. “Ok, quick briefing. You both read the schedule, yeah?” He got affirmative murmurs from the front. “We pick Gemini up at 0800 for his conference at 0900. I accompany him in his car. We wait at his HQ for however long he wishes to stay there for, and then we return him to his residence in the afternoon. Simple enough. Clear?”</p><p>“Copy,” two voices answered. </p><p>“I don’t know what’s going to be waiting for us at his office, so eyes open, yeah?”</p><p>“I’m actually looking forward to meeting him,” Adam said. “See what he’s really like. He can’t be as bad as what we’ve seen on tv, can he?”</p><p>“Probably,” Aaron heard Finn scoff. </p><p>“One more thing,” Aaron interrupted before they could go any further. “Let’s keep it professional. Personal opinions off the table.”</p><p> </p><p>The drive to Kensington was painful, the car crawling along in the rush hour traffic. They seemed to hit every single red light they came across. Aaron watched the cars around them crawl along, broken up by the whir and hiss of red double decker buses roaring past in the bus lanes. At eight on the dot they pulled up to a set of iron gates. Finn flashed his badge to a man in a yellow high-vis who waved them through. </p><p>Aaron’s eyes widened at the complex they drove into. The houses were identical, one long line of tall white buildings curving around in a semi-circle. In front of them sat a large oval patch of grass, immaculately kept, not one blade of grass out of place. And the <em>cars</em> that were parked on the edge of the grass. They were the stuff of Aaron’s dreams. Porsche’s, Bentley’s, not a scratch on the bodywork, not a scuff on the wheels.</p><p>Halfway round the semi-circle, Finn slowed to a stop, pulling up behind a sleek black car, the same one with the tinted windows Aaron had seen Sugden getting into on the tv the previous evening. </p><p>“That’s Michael, right?” Adam said. “His driver?”</p><p>“I’ll confirm,” Aaron said. </p><p>He climbed out, buttoning his jacket and smoothing his hands down his sides. He tried to stop the tremble in his fingers, suppress the nausea rolling in his stomach, the desire to run away back to the safety of the office and his paperwork.</p><p>He looked down at his watch. Two minutes past eight. “Ok, here we go,” he leaned back into the car to say, “radios in.”</p><p>All three of them wound their wires around the back of their right ears, pushing the earpieces in. Aaron reached behind him, bypassing the gun on his belt to flick the switch on his radio. </p><p>Shutting the door behind him, he walked past the black car. The window wound down a little way, revealing a middle-aged man in a black suit, hair greying around his temples. The look he gave Aaron when he asked for identification was not a friendly one. He showed Aaron his license with a huff, and then rolled the window up and the engine rumbled into life. </p><p>Aaron shook his head, gave Adam a quick thumbs up and then moved to the cream stone steps that led up to house number fourteen. He jogged up them to press the doorbell, and then headed back down, standing a little way from the bottom step with his fingers folded together in front of him. </p><p>Mere seconds later, the door to the house opened. Aaron’s stomach lurched. He tried to breathe through it and kept his eyes forward as the man bypassed him, heading for his car. Aaron followed on, moving in front of the man to open the door behind the driver’s seat for him. Then, finally, they came face to face.</p><p>“Morning, sir,” he said, making sure to keep his voice steady. “PPO Aaron Dingle. It’s good to meet you.”</p><p>Robert Sugden took his outstretched hand, one foot inside the car. “Likewise. Look, we really must be going, I’m late already.”</p><p>“Sir.” Aaron held the car door for him, doing a quick check left and right as Sugden climbed inside. He shut the door and then crossed around to the passenger seat, reaching up to press the button for the mic fixed in his lapel. “Gemini on the move.”</p><p><em>“Copy that,” </em>came Adams' reply in his ear. </p><p>Aaron seated himself next to Michael, ignoring the iciness that radiated off him, and pulled his seatbelt across his body. The car moved off, and Aaron checked the rear-view mirror, making sure the Rover behind them followed closely. </p><p>It was strange; all the times Aaron had seen Sugden in the papers or on the tv, he’d seemed like some sort of made up figure. Untouchable. It had been easy to forget that he was a real person. But now here he was, sat mere feet from him.</p><p>Everything about him screamed wealth. The navy suit he wore was tailored to perfection, effortlessly fitted to the angles of his shoulders. His burgundy tie looked as if it was made from silk, and probably cost more than Aaron made in a week. He’d pulled a tablet from a black leather briefcase he’d brought from his house and was now tapping away on it, head bowed so his gently styled blond hair obstructed most of his features. </p><p>Suddenly he looked up, catching Aaron’s eyes in the rear-view mirror. Aaron blinked and looked away, steadfastly watching the traffic around them. </p><p>“How long until we get there, Michael?” he asked.</p><p>“Few more minutes, sir,” the man in the driver's seat replied promptly. “Traffic is a little bad today.”</p><p>“No change there, then,” he said wryly. Aaron heard him rustling and then the sharp click of a briefcase being shut.</p><p>After getting caught at another set of red lights, they finally pulled up to the offices that acted as headquarters for Sugden’s company. Aaron watched a small crowd that had gathered at the front of the building, his stomach sinking when he caught a glimpse of bulky cameras hung around their necks.</p><p>As soon as their car was noticed people started moving, photographers crowding close to the curb, cameras raised. Aaron bit his lip.</p><p><em>“Boss,</em>” Adam’s voice sounded in his ear. He was so focused on the scene ahead of him that he forgot to be annoyed at his new nickname.</p><p>“Sir, would you stay inside the car a moment please?” Aaron asked, glancing back at the car closely following them.</p><p>“Why?” Sugden said. When Aaron turned around in his seat to look at him, he had one hand on the door handle. “What part of ‘I’m late’ didn’t you understand?”</p><p>Aaron shoved away the irritation that pinched at the back of his skull. “Just a small issue of security, sir. Won’t take a minute to sort out. Adam,” Aaron said into his radio. </p><p><em>“Receiving,</em>” came Adam’s reply.</p><p>“Move those photographers and the civilians back. I’ll escort Gemini when there’s a clear path, over.”</p><p><em>“Copy that.</em>”</p><p>Aaron watched Adam get out of the car and walk towards the photographers, arms outstretched. They protested, pointing towards the car a couple of times, and arguing with Adam, but on his insistence, they moved a few metres back from the front doors. </p><p>“That’s really not necessary, you know,” Sugden said, sounding a little weary. “I'm used to them; they’re everywhere I go.”</p><p>“That may be so, but it’s part of my job to make sure they don’t bother you, sir. It’s one of the reasons you hired us.” Aaron kept his voice carefully polite. He got out of the car without waiting for a reply, heading around to Sugden’s door and checking their surroundings under the guise of doing up his jacket buttons. </p><p>“Gemini on the move,” he murmured, and this time Finn's voice came back to him.</p><p>To his credit, Sugden walked into his building with his head held high, steadfastly looking forward and not at the photographers shouting his name and asking questions between the clicking of their cameras. </p><p>“Why do you feel you need protection now, Mr Sugden?”</p><p>“Are you <em>scared</em>, Mr Sugden? Is that why you’ve hired bodyguards?”</p><p>Aaron shot them a dirty look as he followed Sugden inside, hovering close to his right shoulder.</p><p>There must have easily been fifty people in the white tiled reception area alone. Men and women hurried around, some talking animatedly to each other, others gesturing at pieces of paper they held. A long glass desk sat at the front of the reception, phone ringing away to itself while the staff buzzed around it. There were two floors above them, with wide glass window, allowing everyone up there to see the hubbub in the lobby.</p><p>A few people had stopped to looked at the commotion of voices coming from outside the entrance doors, staring at their boss walk through them. Aaron felt their eyes on him as strongly as if they were actually touching him. Sugden, though, seemed unfazed. He simply nodded a greeting at the woman sat at the reception desk, and then strode towards the silver doors of the lifts at the back of the lobby.</p><p>They slid closed behind them, and a mechanical female voice announced they were going up. Aaron glanced at the hard set of Sugden’s jaw, and took a breath, steeling himself for whatever lay in wait for him on the other side of the lift doors.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>By the end of the day, what little faith Aaron had had in his ability to do this job had evaporated. Sugden was an <em>arse</em>.</p><p><em>He’d</em> requested <em>them</em>, but all he’d done was look at Aaron as if he was something he’d found on the bottom of his shoe. If he deigned to look his way, it was only to sneer at him. Aaron couldn’t see how he was supposed to endure this every day without killing Sugden, which was the exact opposite of why he was there. </p><p>By five in the afternoon, they were heading back to Kensington. Aaron sank into the front seat of the car, a combination of nervous energy and a lack of sleep from the night before finally catching up with him. He did his surveillance of the drive home through eyes that felt like sandpaper, watching the rain being sluiced away by the wipers. Once or twice he glanced in the mirror at Sugden, who was looking out of his window, seemingly lost in thought. </p><p>When they finally pulled through the gates up to the complex Aaron got out first, checking his peripheral vision before opening the car door for Sugden. He followed on his heels as he hurried up the steps to get out of the rain.</p><p><em>‘We’ll wait for you here, boss,’</em> Adam said in his ear and Aaron nodded back at the car. </p><p>“Sir, if you don’t mind, I need to conduct some checks before you go inside,” Aaron said to Sugden’s back as the man slotted his key into the door. </p><p>“Checks?” Sugden said, with all the indignity as if Aaron had just asked him for a strip search. “What on earth for?”</p><p>“For your safety and security, sir. I just need to check all the rooms; it won’t take me long.”</p><p>“Oh, for the love of- <em>Fine</em>. Just make it quick.” Sugden pushed the door open. He stepped inside and to the left, setting his briefcase onto the floor. </p><p>“Thank you, sir.” Aaron passed him. The heels of his black shoes echoed in the polished wooden hallway.</p><p>There was nothing on the ground floor except a flight of wooden stairs, spiralling up to the second floor. Aaron climbed them, conscious of Sugden’s eyes following him, and then turned left into what appeared to be the kitchen.</p><p>He reached for the light switch on the wall, blinking at the sudden brightness. A quick look round, and he moved on, heading for the living room. He looked behind the tv, behind the curtains, behind the door. In the bedroom he opened the wardrobe, parting a couple of the shirts hanging up to see the back of the unit. He glanced into the bathroom, and then into the study, taking a quick look under his desk. </p><p>At first look, the house seemed immaculate. The decor was modern, all black and varying shades of grey, and the furniture, though minimalistic, looked expensive. As Aaron moved from room to room, though, he noticed things that made that impression begin to fade. A couple of mugs and plates lay unwashed in the sink, and the cutlery drawer had been left open. In the study, documents had been piled into a messy mound instead of being immaculately filed as Aaron had assumed they would be. In the bedroom, pillows were strewn haphazardly across the unmade bed.</p><p>The notes had said Sugden lived alone, had no family to speak of. His isolation was becoming increasingly obvious the deeper Aaron dug. That flat was grey in a different way to the weather outside. </p><p>A voice echoed up from the bottom of the stairs, interrupting his thoughts. “Are you quite finished?”</p><p>Aaron left the bedroom and headed for the hallway. He looked over the bannisters down to where Sugden stood, briefcase still in hand. “Yes, sir. All secure.”</p><p>“Wonderful,” Sugden said with a roll of his eyes. “If you’ll excuse me, I have work to do.”</p><p>Aaron inclined his head and headed down the stairs. “Of course, sir. You have my number if you need anything. The car will be here at eight tomorrow morning.“</p><p>“Yes, yes, thank you.” Sugden waved him off.  </p><p>Aaron bit the inside of his cheek to stop him from retorting with something he knew he’d regret. Instead breathed out, forced his fists to unclench and then opened the door, resisting the urge to slam it shut behind him. </p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“So, what do you think of Sugden then, boss?” Adam asked the next morning. They were battling their way through the morning traffic to Kensington, Finn in the driving seat again, leaving Adam free to twist round in his seat to talk to Aaron.</p><p>Aaron had woken up that morning and very nearly jacked the whole thing in. The thought of having to spend one more minute with Sugden’s arrogance was more than he was prepared to put up with. It would be so easy to go back to being office based, doing work behind the scenes where no blond prats could wind him up every five seconds. He could put the whole thing down to experience and accept the fact that security work wasn’t for him.</p><p>But something, and he wasn’t quite sure what it was yet, had stopped him. Maybe it was the fear of feeling like he’d failed at something he worked a long time for, perhaps it was the need to feel like his training hadn’t been completely wasted. Whatever it was, it had been enough to force him out of bed and into his suit.</p><p>He met Adam’s dark eyes. “He’s our client, Adam. It doesn’t matter what I think of him.”</p><p>“Yeah, but he’s a right nightmare, isn’t he.” Adam grinned. “Got a proper attitude on him.”</p><p>Finn snorted. “That’s true. Thinks he’s so much better than us, doesn’t he?”  </p><p>“Do I need to remind you guys that this isn’t personal?” Aaron said, frowning. “We’re not here to like him.”</p><p>Finn took his eyes off the road for a second to meet Aaron’s in the mirror. “Yeah, and we don’t. Problem is, no one seems to like him. It’s a wonder he’s stayed alive this long.”</p><p>“All right come on, Finn,” Adam said. “He’s an idiot but he doesn’t deserve death threats, does he?”</p><p>“From what I’ve read, I reckon he does. I read that he-“</p><p>“All right, enough,” Aaron spoke over Finn, and the front of the car fell quiet. “What we think about our client doesn’t matter. Whatever he’s done, whatever we’ve read about him, it’s not our business. We’re here to keep him alive, and that’s it. Clear?”</p><p>“Boss,” they both muttered.</p><p>The rest of the journey was spent in a silence that bordered on being awkward. They got held up by some roadworks, so by the time they drove through the iron gates, it was four minutes past eight. No sooner had Finn pulled up behind Sugden’s black car, the front door to number fourteen flew open.</p><p>Sugden strode out without waiting for Aaron to escort him, opening his car door and throwing himself inside. He slammed it shut behind him and Aaron groaned, jumping out of his seat and jogging over. The glares he got from Sugden and Michael when he slid into his seat were enough to turn anyone to stone.</p><p>“You're late,” Sugden all but hissed. “Do you know what time my first meeting is? Have you even <em>bothered</em> to read my schedule?”</p><p>“Apologies, sir, the traffic was awful this morning,” Aaron replied, pulling his seatbelt across himself. The car pulled away, circling around the lawn in the middle of the complex and heading towards the iron gates. “Gemini on the move,” he murmured into his radio.</p><p>“<em>Received, boss</em>,” Adam voice said in his ear.</p><p>“And that’s my problem how?” Sugden carried on. “I don’t pay you to make excuses, I pay you to get me to where I need to be, when I need to be there. Is that understood?”</p><p>“Yes, sir.” Aaron fought to keep his voice even. He looked in the side mirror, checking on Finn behind them. “It won’t happen again, sir.”</p><p>“It had better not, or I’ll be finding myself a new team.”</p><p>Aaron gritted his teeth. He did his checks, daring to look at Sugden in his peripheral vision. He was glaring out of his window, eyebrows drawn in a heavy scowl with his arms crossed over his chest. Irritation grated at the back of Aaron’s head at his petulance. Bugger all his hard work, that office job was looking more and more appealing.</p><p>Contrary to Sugden’s accusations, Aaron had in fact read his schedule. His appointment that morning was a conference at his headquarters. That was all the information Aaron had been given. Simple enough, maybe even an opportunity for Aaron to be nosy and observe what was really going on in the core of S.R. Sugden’s. It was none of his business, but he had to admit he was curious.</p><p>There were a couple of photographers hanging around outside when they pulled up, chatting and smoking just outside the glass entrance doors. Less of them than yesterday, but still enough to be a nuisance. When the cars pulled up they looked up and then stamped out their cigarettes, moving towards them.</p><p>“Just a moment please, sir,” Aaron said, ignoring the huff he got in reply. He watched Adam get out of the car, heading towards the photographers and herding them out of the way.</p><p>Aaron got out, crossing to Sugden’s door and checking left and right. As soon as he pulled the car door open Sugden barrelled out, striding towards the building without a backward glance.</p><p>“<em>Gemini is definitely on the move</em>,” Finns amused voice came over the radio. Aaron turned to glare at the car and then shut the door, jogging after their client. He matched Sugden’s stride to the right of him, providing an extra layer of defence between him and the flashing cameras being held back by Adam’s outstretched arms.</p><p>There was the same stopping and staring in the lobby as there had been yesterday, but Aaron had been expecting it this time. He hovered close to Sugden, keeping his eyes forward, the tails of his overcoat brushing Aaron’s knee as they matched pace. They didn’t say a word on the lift ride up to the second floor, and when the doors slid open again Sugden strode out, barely waiting for Aaron to keep up.</p><p>Aaron stayed close, one eye on Sugden, and one eye on the hubbub around them. He’d not had a chance to get a proper look at the office yesterday, too preoccupied with crucial details like where the nearest fire exits were and memorising the quickest ways to get there. Now he noticed the shining white tiles of the corridor that matched the lobby downstairs. Glass doors evenly spaced on either side of the hallway marked separate offices, and as they passed them Aaron could hear muffled voices, occasionally interrupted by the shrill ring of a phone.</p><p>“Morning, sir,” a brunette woman with a clipboard approached from their left. Aaron tore his gaze from the surprisingly colourful artwork on the wall to eye the identification badge that hung on a lanyard around her neck. She gave Aaron a short nod, and then fell into step beside them. “Everything is set up, and everyone is waiting in the conference room for you. Marketing have sent the latest mock-ups.”</p><p>“Thank you,” Sugden replied. “Any messages?”</p><p>“One about the conference this afternoon, sir. I’ve attached it to the second sheet there for you.”</p><p>Sugden accepted the clipboard from her and offered another word of thanks. She clicked off down the tiled hall again.</p><p>At the end of the corridor they took a left, ending up in a smaller, well-lit lobby. A table had been set up in the corner, laden with white china teacups and plates of biscuits. Sugden paused a little way from the table, sett his briefcase down to flip the top sheet of paper over on the clipboard.</p><p>“Oh, not again,” he muttered after a moment. “Why do I bother? Honestly.” He held the piece of paper out to Aaron. “You ought to read this. Conference this afternoon has been cancelled <em>again</em>. They called first thing and asked for it to be rescheduled.’</p><p>“Sir,” Aaron took it, scanning it briefly and catching words like ‘sincere’ and ‘apologies’.</p><p>‘“God, this is going to be a long day. I can tell already. Get me a coffee from the machine downstairs, would you?”</p><p>Aaron looked up from the note, faltering. “Er, I’m your protection officer, sir, not your PA.”</p><p>Sugden’s brows pulled together. “You’re whatever I tell you to be. Coffee.” He snapped his fingers. “Go.”</p><p>Aaron stared at him. "I’m afraid I can’t do that, sir," he said, speaking slowly so none of the white hot anger curling in his chest leeched into his voice. “As your PPO I’m required to be with you at all times.”</p><p>“Oh, my god." Sugden rolled his eyes. "What sort of robots have they sent me? Fine. If you won’t go, find someone else that can follow a simple instruction, ok?”</p><p>“Sir,” Aaron nodded shortly.</p><p>“That wasn’t hard, was it? I’m going to do this meeting. Bring the coffee in when it’s here."</p><p>‘Yes, sir. I’ll be waiting for you out here, sir,’ Aaron said, only just refraining from snarling at his back as he walked through the frosted glass door to the meeting room. The trouble he would get in for punching Sugden in the face would be monumental, but oh, how Aaron would enjoy it.</p><p>He caught the woman from before when she came into the room, asking her to find someone to fetch the coffee, and then radioed down to Adam and Finn, informing them of the schedule changes. Then he stationed himself outside the glass door, feet planted apart and fingers interlinked in front of him, and settled into wait.</p><p>A few people gave him curious glances when they came in and out of the lobby, eyes flicking between him and the closed door. The suit and earpiece must have been intimidating enough, because nobody stopped to talk to him. Even the staff member bringing Sugden his coffee didn’t meet Aaron’s eyes, slinking past him into the conference room without a word.</p><p>An hour and a half passed. Aaron wasn't complaining about the length of time he was waiting; it was less time having to look at Sugden, after all. He just watched on the clock on the wall opposite, and listened for any signs of movement coming from the room behind him. Another fifteen minutes ticked by, and then there was the scraping of chairs being pushed back, voices getting louder. Aaron stepped to the side when the door opened, allowing people to file past him. A few of them mingled around in groups, refilling their cups from the metal jugs on the table and stealing handfuls of biscuits to take back to their desks.</p><p>A minute later, Sugden emerged, buttoning up his jacket. He bypassed Aaron without looking at him, speaking over his shoulder as he walked back in the direction of the lifts. “I need to head down to see the marketing team. A few issues came up in the meeting that I need to take care of.”</p><p>“Sir,” Aaron replied, falling into step half a pace behind him.</p><p>Two floors down, the lift doors slid open onto a floor that looked identical to the one they'd just come from. Aaron stepped out first to check their surroundings, and then waited for Sugden to lead the way. They headed off to the left towards a room with huge windows spanning the length of the wall, overlooking the city outside. What had been a promisingly clear morning had turned dull and dreary again, grey clouds rolling in over them and threatening another downpour.</p><p>Aaron watched Sugden go in and then took up his position outside. The wall opposite the marketing suite was covered in photo frames, standing stark from the minimalism of the rest of the office. Some frames contained certificates, some awards, others were of Sugden himself. The photo directly opposite Aaron was of Robert, barely out of his teens, with a man and a woman behind him. He only had to match Sugden’s eyes to the woman, his jaw to the man, to work out who they were.</p><p>Aaron half turned to glance at Sugden, watching him lean over the shoulder of a girl in her early twenties, pointing at something on her computer screen while she nodded. He turned back to the photo. Unbidden, he felt a pang of sympathy in his chest when he remember what he’d read in a Sugden’s file, how hard it must have been for him to take over an entire company so young. Aaron blinked and looked away, derailing that train of thought before it could go any further, remembering their earlier altercation.</p><p>He moved in a slow circle, checking out the hallway and looking through the window of the marketing suite, then stopped abruptly when he saw that there were just three people working at their computers in the room. No sign of Sugden at all. He leaned forward until his nose was almost touching the glass to peer into all four corners, and still came up empty. He grabbed the chrome door handle and pushed his way in.</p><p>“Where’s Mr Sugden?” he asked the employees, who all startled at his unannounced entry and stared at him with wide eyes. “Where did he go?”</p><p>“Um,” the girl Sugden had been speaking to said timidly. “He went through that door?” She pointed over her shoulder at the door at the opposite end of the room.</p><p>Aaron cursed under his breath. “Where does that lead?”</p><p>"To the rest of the office?" Another woman spoke up, looking at him as if he were stupid. She had every right to, Aaron supposed. She wasn’t the one who had just managed to lose an entire person in the space of about thirty seconds.</p><p>Aaron made for the door, yanking it open and ending up in yet another hallway. At the end of the corridor he could see the gleaming silver doors of the lifts. Sugden had only been gone for a minute or so, but if he'd gotten in the lifts, he could be anywhere in the building by now.</p><p>The bastard had done it deliberately, Aaron fumed. He’d run off whilst Aaron wasn’t looking, knowing full well he wasn’t supposed to, just to be difficult. Aaron could just imagine the Sergeant’s face when she found out. He’d never hear the end of this; she’d make him fill out mountains of forms to make up for not being able to keep track of one sodding, useless, arrogant <em>prat.</em></p><p>He tried to keep calm, tried to keep his head clear as he reached for his lapel. "Adam, do you have eyes on Gemini? Over."</p><p>"<em>Negative, boss</em>." Adam returned. "<em>I thought you were with him? Over.</em>"</p><p>"Shit," Aaron said under his breath. He broke into a jog towards the lifts. Visions of Sugden unconscious and being bundled into the back of a van flashed into his mind, and his back prickled with sweat. "Building on lockdown, repeat, building is now on lockdown. No one enters, no one leaves. Finn, watch the doors. Adam I need you to-"</p><p>He stopped short as he rounded the corner, almost running full pelt into Sugden, who was heading back the way he had come. Aaron looked down at the cup of coffee held in his hands and almost sagged with relief.</p><p>"<em>Boss?</em>"</p><p>Aaron blinked at the voice breaking through the pounding of his heart in his ears. "False alarm," he replied. "Stand down, Gemini located. As you were, over."<br/>
<br/>
"<em>Copy that</em>."</p><p>Sugden had quirked one eyebrow, watching Aaron talk with vague amusement.</p><p>"Sir," Aaron struggled, trying not to show how heavily he was breathing. "Please do not go anywhere without informing myself or one of my team first."</p><p>The amusement fell from Sugden’s face. His eyes narrowed. "I was getting more coffee?"</p><p>"All the same, sir. It's imperative you have one of us with you at all times. As your protection team we-"</p><p>"It sounds like you’re...trying to tell me what to do?" Sugden interrupted, patronising. "Which isn’t a good move on your part, is it?"</p><p>Aarons back stiffened. At that precise second he’d have loved nothing more than to bat that hot cup of coffee out of Sugden’s hand and all over his perfect suit. "On the contrary, sir. Your personal safety is a two-way operation," he said. "It requires your cooperation as well as ours."</p><p>"For god's sake, Dingle, it’s a cup of coffee-"</p><p>"Which would be fine, sir, if you were in your own home. But we are in a public space, where anyone can walk right in through the front door. If you want me to keep you safe, please, do as I say."</p><p>The air prickled between them. Aaron stared Sugden down, daring him to argue. Adrenaline was still fizzing through his veins, and he almost wanted Sugden to retaliate, just to see how far he would go.</p><p>To his surprise, Sugden backed down. He held up a palm in a gesture of surrender. "Fine," he said, inclining his head. "I apologise. I didn't think you needed to come with me; I was only gone two minutes."</p><p>"Two minutes is a lot of time for someone who wishes you harm," Aaron pointed out, and Sugden nodded in acquiescence. He didn’t say anything more, just looked down at the drink in his hand.</p><p>"Shall we?" Aaron gestured back down the corridor when the silence between them stretched on a little too long.</p><p>"Yes, yes, of course." Sugden moved past him, and then stopped so suddenly Aaron nearly ran into him. "I didn’t ask if you wanted a drink. Can I get you a coffee or something?"</p><p>Aaron stared. "Erm," he said, feeling as if he'd missed a step somewhere. "No. Thank you, sir, but I’m still on duty."</p><p>"Well, I’m nearly done here. Give me an hour to finish up and then I'll work from home for the rest of the day. Is that ok?" The corners of his mouth pulled up into the faintest hints of a smile.</p><p>"Sir," Aaron nodded. Sugden nodded and brushed past him, leaving Aaron staring in his wake.</p><p><br/>
***</p><p> </p><p>The drive back to the residence was quiet, save for the gentle hum of the radio. Sugden said nothing apart from a quiet murmur of thanks to Michael when they pulled up outside his house. Aaron nodded at Finn and Adam as he followed Sugden up to his front door. Adam stuck his thumb up and Finn pulled away, parking on the other side of the patch of grass.</p><p>"Do you need to do your checking thing again?" Sugden said when he’d opened the door.</p><p>"If that’s ok, sir," Aaron replied, and he stepped aside with a nod to let him through. Aaron set off up the stairs and began checking the rooms one by one, turning the lights on and looking in cupboards and under the bed. When he leaned over the banister to look down, Sugden had removed his blazer and rolled up the sleeves of his shirt.</p><p>"All done?" he called up to him. "No one hiding under my bed or behind the doors?"</p><p>"Clear, sir," Aaron said. When Sugden had joined him at the top of the stairs, he stepped around him, linking his fingers behind his back. "I’ll leave you to enjoy the rest of your afternoon. We’ll be back at eight am tomorrow."</p><p>"Thank you," Sugden said. He offered another tentative smile like he had done earlier. Despite himself, Aaron returned it, not wanting to shatter this fragile truce he seemed to be offering. "Can I…" he said as Aaron made to head down the stairs. He looked over his shoulder to find Sugden facing him, hands wedged into his pockets. "Can I ask you something?"</p><p>"Anything, sir."</p><p>"I heard you talking earlier, when I went to get coffee. I heard you saying that you’d put the building on lockdown. Was that for me?" He shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "You put the entire company on lockdown just because you couldn't find me?"</p><p>Aaron studied him for a moment. He waited for Sugden’s expression to morph into a smirk, for him to take the mick, anything he would have usually expected. But there were no traces of laughter in his eyes, just a genuine curiosity. He just waited patiently, openly, for a reply.</p><p>"Yes, sir,"Aaron said honestly after a moment more. "It’s my job to do whatever is necessary to secure your safety."</p><p>Sugden frowned, dropping his eyes to the floor.</p><p>"Does that surprise you?" Aaron asked hesitantly.</p><p>"No," Sugden was quick to say. Then he paused. "Perhaps. I just didn’t think things would ever be that...serious."</p><p>"Well, I take my job seriously." Aaron let go of the banister and took a step closer to him. "We’re all here to help you, sir."</p><p>"I think I'm beginning to understand that a bit better now." Sugden fiddled with the collar of his shirt, popping open the top button and loosening his tie. "Look, Dingle- uh, can I call you Aaron?"</p><p>Aaron must have been more tired that he’d thought, because when he opened his mouth to say, “no chance”, what actually came out was: “I don’t see that being a problem.” He blinked in surprise, hastily tacking a “sir” onto the end of his sentence.</p><p>"Ok, well, Aaron. I’m sorry if I’ve been a bit of an idiot up until now. It’s not an excuse, but I’ve been under quite a lot of stress lately. Can we put today behind us? I promise to be better behaved from now on."</p><p>All Aaron could say was: "If that's what you want, sir."</p><p>Even more bewilderingly, Sugden actually laughed at him. "How do you make the word ‘sir’ sound so much like ‘prat’?"</p><p>Against his will, Aaron’s mouth twitched. "With a lot of practice, sir," he said, and Sugden laughed again.</p><p>"I’d feel much better if you called me Robert."</p><p>"I think," Aaron said carefully, making sure what he wanted to say actually left his mouth this time, "I’ll stick to the formalities, at least for the moment. I hope you don’t mind."</p><p>“Of course." Sugden took a step back away from Aaron towards the kitchen, still smiling. "Goodnight, Aaron."</p><p>Aaron watched him go, saw the way the lights from the kitchen made the blond of Sugden’s hair look a little bit like a halo. "Night, sir," he murmured.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Days passed in this new tentative truce they seemed to have created, whereby they did as little as possible to antagonise one other. Aaron made a concerted effort to ensure they were not only on time in the morning, but early, and Sugden (or Robert, as Aaron had secretly begun calling him in his head) was patient and honest when it came to schedules and security checks. They settled into a comfortable rhythm. Aaron would never have thought it possible, but he had come to tolerate the man. He was no longer filled with dread every morning at the prospect of having to spend a whole day with him.</p><p>He was due to visit home at the end of his second week with Robert. With his mum so close to her due date, it would likely be the last time he’d visit home when it was just the three of them. The Forest Green nursery had been officially vetoed, so Aaron had offered to help Paddy repaint it. He’d even ordered stencils in the shape of safari animals from the internet to spray paint onto the walls. They were safely tucked in the front of his overnight bag, ready for him to pick up after he’d dropped Robert home on Friday night.</p><p>He woke early on the Friday morning, willing the hours to pass quickly. He made himself tea and toast, looking out of the window of his flat and watching early commuters hurrying along the streets below while he ate.</p><p>At seven fifteen on the dot, Finn pulled up at the side of the road. Aaron could see the passenger side window would all the way down, Adam’s arm hanging out. The day was gearing up to be a hot one, sunshine brightening a cloudless sky. Even the breeze that tickled Aaron's skin when he stepped out onto the pavement was warm.</p><p>“You’re chipper today,” Adam said when Aaron had shut the car door behind himself.</p><p>Aaron grinned. “Friday, innit. I’m off home for the weekend.”</p><p>“Any sign of the little one yet?” </p><p>“Nah,” Aaron said. He leaned forward in between the seats to check the temperature gauge on the car radio. Nineteen degrees already. “Won’t be for a couple of weeks yet. Stubborn, us Dingles.”</p><p>“You don’t need to tell me that, mate.” </p><p>“ETA: twenty-eight minutes,” Finn chipped in. Adam glanced at Finn, and then twisted in his seat to give Aaron a look.</p><p>“Everything all right, Finn?” Aaron said. “You seem a bit off this morning.”</p><p>“Hm?” Finn briefly met Aaron's eyes in the mirror. “I’m fine. Didn’t sleep well, that’s all.”</p><p>Adam clapped a heavy hand onto Finn’s shoulder. “Ah well, easy day today, yeah? Once we drop His Highness back home tonight, the weekend is ours.”</p><p>Finn made a non-committal noise. Aaron watched him hit the brakes as they came up on a queue of traffic, his fingers drumming on the steering wheel as they waited. Aaron leaned back in his sea, winding down his window to let some more air into the car.</p><p>At five minutes to eight, they were parked outside Robert’s house. Robert emerged a minute later, giving Aaron a nod by way of hello.</p><p>“Morning, sir,’” Aaron said as he opened the car door for Robert to climb inside. “I hope you had a pleasant evening.”</p><p>“If you call working until midnight pleasant, then yes, it was pleasant,” Sugden replied. He was just in a white shirt and navy tie this morning; blazer folded nearly in the crook of his arm. “I’ve been prepping for the meeting this afternoon.”</p><p>Aaron closed the door after him and walked round to take his place next to Michael. “Anything we can do to help?”</p><p>“Pray for me?” Robert flicked the latches on his briefcase, pulling out a file and flipping it open. He sighed. “Thank you, but there’s not a lot more I can do now.”</p><p>Aaron nodded, checking on the car behind them as they pulled off. He looked in the rear-view mirror, noticing the purplish half-moons under Robert’s eyes. To say he cared about Robert’s well-being was pushing it, but he was certainly aware that Robert needed to take more care of himself. Exhaustion would make him careless, and therefore vulnerable.</p><p>The only item on the schedule was a meeting at the office that afternoon, a couple of visiting businessmen that had already their identifications checked. Aaron had put Finn in charge of that; neither they or their assistants would be allowed near Sugden until they’d been verified.</p><p>They reached the building, coming into view of the usual photographers that hung around outside. Aaron knew them well enough by now, and they knew him. There was always a glimmer of opportunity in their eyes when they arrived, a hope that somehow Robert had forgone his security detail that day. It was extinguished as soon as they saw Adam and Aaron climb out of the cars, and they backed off, if a little reluctantly.</p><p>Inside, Adam took up his usual position near the entrance doors, and Aaron and Robert headed for the lift. Outside Robert’s office, his secretary came out to meet him.</p><p>“Morning, sir,” she handed him a sheaf of paper. “Mr Green is expecting your call as soon as possible. There was also a message left for you this morning from...ah,” she hesitated. Aaron switched his gaze to her, watching her shift her weight from foot to foot.</p><p>“...From?” Robert prompted.</p><p>“Your brother, sir.”</p><p>All the muscles in Robert’s jaw seemed to lock together. Aaron saw his throat bob as he swallowed, looking down at the papers she’d handed him. “I see,” he said tightly. “Anything else?”</p><p>“I wrote down the message for you. There’s also a request that the conference this afternoon be postponed.”</p><p>“For god's sake!” Robert snapped. “Again?! We’ve been planning this for weeks!”</p><p>“I tried, sir, but-“</p><p>“No, no, it’s not your fault. Thank you for trying. Can you try and pin down the next available date, please? Thank you. Here.” He handed the paper off to Aaron and set off towards his office. “All that work,” he huffed. “And for what?”</p><p>Aaron looked back at the secretary, checking she wasn't about to burst into tears at Robert's outburst. Satisfied that she looked unbothered, he followed on, reading her hasty scrawl on the piece of yellow memo paper. <em>Message from A. Sugden. Wants you to know he’s in the area and would like to meet. Phone number below.</em></p><p>Aaron pulled his phone from his pocket and opened the camera app. He snapped a photo of the memo and then attached it to an email, forwarding it to the station. It wasn’t something to be overly concerned about at the moment, but a message out of the blue from an estranged brother? The office needed to see it.</p><p>“I mean,” Robert was still ranting, striding down the hallway, leaving Aaron hurrying to catch up. “It would be nice if they could give me a little more notice, you know? Before I spend an entire night pulling numbers and drawing up contracts for no reason.”</p><p>“Yes, sir.” Aaron agreed.</p><p>“And now I’ve got to deal with <em>that</em>, as well.” He glanced back at the paper in Aaron’s hand. “I assume you know about him.”</p><p>“I’m aware of him, yes.”</p><p>Robert let out another heavy sigh. It sounded like it came from deep within him, a bone-deep weariness. “I don’t know if I can deal with him right now. Not with everything else going on.” He reached back for the memo and Aaron handed it over. “He always did know how to pick his moments.”</p><p>“Don’t worry about your brother, sir,” Aaron said. “We’ll keep an eye on him.”</p><p>“Good luck with that.” Robert snorted. He met Aaron’s eyes. “I’m sorry, ignore me. I’m just tired. And pissed off.”</p><p>“Shall I, er, get you a coffee?” Aaron asked.</p><p>Robert's frown softened, easing into a grateful smile thought it didn't quite reach his eyes. “Thank you. Look, I’m going to do some work. Will you let me know if you hear anything about Andy?</p><p>“Sir,” Aaron nodded, and Robert retreated into his office, closing the door behind him. </p><p> </p><p>*** </p><p>  </p><p>Early afternoon Robert left his office, approaching Aaron who was hovering just to the left of the door. Despite the air conditioning in the building, the heat had somehow seeped through the walls and floors, giving the air a heavy, close feel. Aaron would have loved nothing more than to shrug off his blazer, roll up his sleeves as Robert had done.</p><p>“If it’s not too much trouble, I think I’m going to go home, now,” he said to Aaron, coming to stand next to him and looking down the hall at the rest of the floor. “I’ve done as much as I can here. I might as well catch up with some work at home for the rest of the day.”</p><p>“Sir,” Aaron nodded, reaching for his mic. “Cars, please,” he spoke quietly. “Gemini heading back to residence, over.”</p><p>“<em>Boss</em>,” Adam replied. <em>“Any possibility of delaying that for a few minutes? Got a bit of a problem down here: more photographers have turned up. Think they got wind of the hot shots that were supposed to be arriving here this afternoon. We’ve managed to keep them outside the building but there’s quite a few of them now.</em>”</p><p>Aaron rolled his eyes. "Can you keep them back long enough for us to get to the car?"</p><p>"<em>Boss,"</em> Finn's voice sounded. "<em>There’s an emergency entrance around the back of the building. I’ll head round there and tell Michael to stay at the front doors to throw them off."</em></p><p>"Copy that. We’ll be down in two minutes. Sir," Aaron addressed Robert as the lift doors slid open and they stepped inside. "We’ve got a situation downstairs; more photographers have turned up. I’m recommending we use the back entrance and leave that way."</p><p>"Oh, they don’t bother me," Robert scoffed. "I’m not going to run the other way like I’ve got something to hide. We’ll go the front way."</p><p>"Sir, please," Aaron said patiently, praying Robert wasn’t going to kick off. He watched the little green number above the door slowly count down towards zero. "This is why we’re here. Let us do our job."</p><p>Robert met his eyes. Whatever further protests he was going to make, he seemingly decided it wasn’t worth it. Instead he waved a hand and sighed. "You’re right, of course. Carry on."</p><p>"Thank you. When we reach the ground floor, we’re going to head towards the emergency exit at the back of the building. Finn will be waiting for us there."</p><p>"Fine."</p><p>As the lift got closer to the ground floor, Aaron’s stomach began to tie itself in knots. He had no idea what sort of chaos was waiting for them on the other side of the lift, how much of it Adam had told them. What if they had to call for backup? The lift shuddered to a halt, a high-pitched ding sounding before the doors slid open.</p><p>Aaron stepped out first, looking left and right and glancing up, before gesturing at Robert to follow him. The lobby had quietened; people who had previously been rushing around moved slower, all watching the closed front doors of the building. A quick assessment told Aaron that Adam had seriously misjudged the sheer number of photographers all pressed up against the glass windows. As soon as they caught sight of Robert the flashes started, their muffled shouts reaching the two of them where they stood at the back of the lobby.</p><p>Adam stood just inside of the doors. When the flashes increased in urgency he turned, catching Aaron’s eye and then pressing the button on his lapel. <em>"All good here, boss. Doors have been locked so they’re not getting through. Finn is heading round the back. Go left at the end of the corridor behind you and then through the fire door."</em></p><p>"Copy that, thanks," Aaron replied. He turned to Robert and beckoned him along. "This way please, sir." He followed without protest, close on Aaron’s right side, though he kept turning and looking at the front doors behind them, a slight crease forming in between his eyebrows. Aaron couldn’t decipher what that meant, but he aimed for reassurance as they got closer to the end of the corridor. "Not too much further."</p><p>"Ok," Robert replied, uncertainty colouring his tone. "I’ve never seen that many of them here before. Why are there so many?"</p><p>"Try not to worry, sir," Aaron said as they made to turn left. "Adam will make sure they’re not allowed-"</p><p>There was a sharp crack, and something flew past Aaron’s right shoulder. Instinctively he flung his right arm out across Robert’s stomach, shoving him back around the corner.</p><p>Robert’s back hit the wall with a thud, breath leaving him in a sharp huff. "What-" he started to say, but was cut off by another crack.</p><p>Aaron's heart jammed itself into his throat. He stared at the two bullet holes in the wall where they should have been standing just moments before.</p><p>He turned head towards Robert, meeting his wide eyes. "Don’t. Move," he said under his breath. With his right hand he pulled his gun, lifting his left hand to his lapel.</p><p>"Come in," he said, voice barely above a whisper.</p><p><em>"Go ahead, boss.</em>"</p><p>"Shooter in the building, repeat, shooter in the building. Two shots fired."</p><p><em>"What?"</em> Adams voice replied. <em>"Location?"</em></p><p>"At the corner of the corridor, near the fire exit."</p><p>
  <em>"Do you have eyes on?"</em>
</p><p>"Negative. Moving Gemini to a safe location." Aaron turned to Robert. He tried to think, tried to remember what his training had taught him. Adam had locked the front doors. Heading back upstairs in the lift was a no-go. Around the corner there was someone with a gun who was just waiting for Aaron to pick the wrong option and put Robert straight in the line of fire. "Sir, where are the nearest bathrooms?"</p><p>"Uh," Robert’s eyes were fixed on the wall over Aaron's shoulder. "Along the way. By...by the lifts."</p><p>Aaron nodded. He turned back around, edging close to the corner and listening hard. He heard a rustling, and then slow, deliberate footsteps began edging towards them.</p><p>He swallowed down a dry throat. "Ok," he whispered. "Ok. Lead the way, but stay close to me, yes?" Robert gave a tiny nod. "Adam, clear the lobby. Gemini on the move."</p><p>
  <em>"Boss, wait. I’m on my way. I’ve called for backup and Finn is coming. Sit tight."</em>
</p><p>"Negative. I don’t have eyes on the shooter and I’m not standing here waiting to be shot. Repeat, Gemini on the move." He pushed Robert gently, urging him on. "Go. <em>Go.</em>"</p><p>As silently as their feet would carry them, they moved back along the corridor. Aaron moved backwards with his gun trained on the corner they'd just been stood by. On Adam’s instruction, people had started to scatter from the wide expanse of the lobby, but when Aaron appeared, gun up, they began to panic, running for the stairs and corridors.</p><p>"Armed police!" Aaron yelled. "Get down!"</p><p>Adam planted his feet, following Aaron's aim. Behind him, the flashes of the cameras increased from behind the front doors, half blinding Aaron as they passed.</p><p>"This way," Aaron heard over his shoulder as they moved closer to the lift. He felt a fist grip the back of his jacket, heard Robert’s shallow breathing.</p><p>When they arrived at the bathrooms Aaron pushed his way inside. He stopped Robert and then opened each door of the cubicles, checking below the sinks.</p><p>"Sir," he said. "When I leave the bathroom, lock the door behind me and then lock yourself into one of these stalls. Stay there until I come back for you. Do not leave with anyone other than me, is that understood?"</p><p>All the colour had drained from Robert’s face. He jerked a nod. "You’re not- you’re not going back out there?"</p><p>"Everything will be ok, sir."</p><p>"But-"</p><p>"The door, sir." Aaron ushered him towards the bathroom door. "Please, do as I say."</p><p>He didn’t wait for any more protests. Checking his gun, he raised it to shoulder level, and then turned on his heel and opened the door. He slid out, waiting until he’d heard the lock click behind him before heading back towards the corridor they’d come from.</p><p>"Adam, eyes on the shooter yet?" he said.</p><p>
  <em>"Negative. They’ve got to be on this level, though. No signs of any associates upstairs. Finn is waiting in the car, engine is running."</em>
</p><p>Aaron approached him, nodding at him as he jogged past. "Good. Keep a lookout, I’m going back down to the fire exit."</p><p>"Backup will be here any second, boss!"</p><p>"That’s not quick enough!" Aaron yelled over his shoulder.</p><p>He crept back long the corridor. The flashes of the photographers had sent white lights dotting in his vision and he blinked hard a couple of times, willing them away. His shirt had begun to stick to his back with sweat, hands clammy where he gripped his gun.</p><p>"Police! Stay where you are!" he yelled as he rounded the corner, finger hooked over the trigger. He was too late; the corridor was empty. The fire door was wide open, swinging gently in the warm breeze outside. "Shit," he hissed. "Finn, eyes on?"</p><p>
  <em>"Negative, boss."</em>
</p><p>"Damn it," Aaron followed the corridor down, checking the area outside of the open door. Finn was parked up a little way down the road, and at Aaron’s thumbs up he drove closer, coming to a stop next to him. Aaron lowered his gun as Finn wound down the window.</p><p>"No sign of anyone leaving. They could still be in the building."</p><p>Aaron shook his head. "All the employees are inside; if the shooter was in there someone would have spotted them by now. Did no one come out of this door?"</p><p>"Not that I saw. They had a minute or so window to escape before I got here, though."</p><p>Aaron forced himself to breathe out. "Our priority is getting Gemini out of here." At that moment, he heard sirens wailing around the other side of the building, the screeching brakes of multiple cars. "Backup is here, they can take care of the building. Stand by, I’ll be back in two minutes."</p><p>"Copy."</p><p>Aaron kept his gun at his side as he hurried back inside. In the lobby, Adam was looking upwards, checking the balconies above them. The employees had shut themselves into the offices on the floors above, but all the gleaming windows meant they had a clear view of what was happening below. Aaron ignored the faces pressed up against the glass, breaking into a jog as he passed Adam. </p><p>"Stand down, let’s go!" Aaron called to him. "Head for the car, we’ll be out in thirty seconds."</p><p>"Boss," Adam nodded.</p><p>Aaron knocked twice on the bathroom door. "Sir? It’s me, it’s Aaron." He pressed his ear to the wood, listening for the click of the lock.</p><p>After a few seconds it sounded, and Robert appeared. His skin was devoid of all colour, fingers trembling on the door handle. His eyes flicked from Aaron to the gun in his hand and back again. "What’s happening? Is everyone ok?"</p><p>"I’m not sure, sir," Aaron replied honestly. "But we do need to get you out of here to somewhere secure."</p><p>"But...what about everyone here? Is…is anyone hurt?" Robert looked around them. "I can’t just abandon everyone!"</p><p>"Sir, backup have arrived, they’ll take good care of everything here. I need you to come with me now. Please?" Aaron tried to keep his voice level, calm, but his brain was screaming at him to leave now and to drag Robert along if he had to. He hesitated for a beat longer, and then reached for him, grasping Robert’s elbow and gently but firmly pulling him out. "With me, sir."</p><p>Thankfully, Robert let himself be tugged along. Aaron guided him out of the bathroom and then through to the corridor, one hand on the small of Robert's back, the other gripping his gun.</p><p>Finn had pulled right up to the exit door. Aaron opened the back door for Robert, bundled him in, then ran around to the other side.</p><p>"Go," he ordered, and Finn shoved the car into gear, tyres squealing as they pulled away. Aaron turned to Robert. "Sir, please keep your head down for the moment just until we’re clear of the area."</p><p>Robert obeyed without protest, sinking down in his seat until he was below the window.</p><p>"Where to?" Adam asked</p><p>"Not the residence." Aaron made a snap decision. "The station. Adam, tell them we’re coming. Finn, take a different route in case we’re being tracked."</p><p>"Boss." Finn made a sharp left without warning. A sharp exhale left Aaron as Robert overbalanced, falling into his side. He threw an arm around his shoulders, keeping him steady as they screeched down the street.</p><p>"Seatbelt on, please sir," Aaron said firmly, gently maneuvering Robert into an upright position. After watching three failed attempts by Robert to click his belt into place, Aaron took pity, batting away his shaking fingers and securing it himself. He looked out of the back window, eyeing the cars they weaved in and out of. "Adam, any updates?"</p><p>"Building on lockdown, boss. No sign of any shooter yet."</p><p>"ETA three minutes." Finn indicated right and turned the wheel, and Aaron braced himself back against his seat. "We’ll use the underground car park."</p><p>"Copy that," Aaron answered. He did a sweep of the roads behind them, but found no trace of anyone following them.</p><p>He didn’t allow himself to relax even a millimetre until they were in the cover of the underground car park at the station. Finn killed the engine, and for a few seconds the four of them sat there, not saying anything, a collective sense of disbelief radiating off each of them.</p><p>The station had been expecting them, and officers emerged from the lift at the opposite end of the car park, heading straight for their car. Aaron’s relief at seeing them reversed itself, however, when they opened the door and guided Robert out and away from him. He began to protest, holding his hand out to stop them.</p><p>Robert turned around as he was hurried away, locking eyes with Aaron. His mouth was half open in a mirror of Aaron’s, but whatever he was going to say faded on his lips, and he disappeared from Aaron’s view.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>“What the hell happened?” Sergeant Williams demanded. The door she’d just thrown open banged into the wall, making all three of them jump in their seats. She strode over to where they sat, huddled around one table, and loomed over them.</p><p>Aaron let a slow breath out through his nose, waiting for his his heart rate to settle back down again. He studied the pale brown liquid in the white plastic cup he held in his palms. Adam had found them cups of tea from one of the vending machines down the hall. It was weak and a little watery, but Aaron was grateful for the warmth and sweetness it offered, settling in his stomach and seeping through his veins.</p><p>"Erm," Finn said when it became clear that neither Adam or Aaron was going to answer her. "Our client was shot at, Ma’am."</p><p>"Yes, <em>thank you</em>, PC Woodall," she said icily. "I’m well aware that an attempt was made on our client’s life today. What I would like to know is <em>how</em> it was allowed to happen.’</p><p>Finn sank lower in his seat, eyes fixed on the table. Aaron tried to untangle his thoughts into something that would help them here, so he could at least attempt to explain what had happened. Each time he tried; all he could hear was the crack of a bullet that had been meant for Robert embedding itself into the wall. All he could see was flashing lights of the photographers burning his eyes. Everything else was a haze of running and shouting.</p><p>"We don’t know,’ Ma’am," Adam said, his voice low. All the fight had left him, too; he was hunched over in his chair, his black jacket in a pool on his lap. "The shooter managed to get in through the fire exit before Finn arrived. The photographers forced our hand; it wasn’t safe to get Sugden out of the front doors. Somehow, they knew we’d be going that way, and they were waiting for us."</p><p>"Right," she said flatly. She turned her stare on Aaron. "And you, PC Dingle. Leaving our client alone? Just abandoning him in a bathroom so you could go off looking for the perpetrator?"</p><p>"Ma’am-" Aaron protested, but she held up a hand.</p><p>"That’s basic training, Dingle. You never leave a client unguarded. What if an accomplice had seen you hiding him and taken that opportunity to harm him?"</p><p>"I understand that," Aaron said. "It...it was a split second decision; I thought he’d be safe in there. Adam was covering the ground floor."</p><p>"So you pursued the suspect? Alone? When you knew other officers were on their way?"</p><p>Aaron bit the inside of his cheek and tried his hardest to keep his voice even. "I was concerned they were inside the building. I didn’t want to give them the opportunity to harm anyone."</p><p>Sarge stood up straight. She folded her arms across her chest and regarded him with a stern expression. "That's no excuse. You’ve got a team for a reason, Dingle. There’s no scope for anyone to be playing the hero. A mishap like this is enough to make me rethink my decision in making you three the primary team in this case." She shook her head at them. "The papers will have a bloody field day. All those cameras…I can’t wait to read the headlines."</p><p>"Please, Ma’am," Adam said before Aaron could. “We’ve only just got started with Sugden, you can’t take us off now."</p><p>"He’s used to us now," Finn tried to contribute. "We’ll be more careful; this won’t happen again-"</p><p>"I don’t want to hear it," Sarge interrupted. "I think we can all agree that this <em>can't</em> happen again, yes? I’ll handle it. Get Mr. Sugden home, and take the weekend to get your heads on straight. But," she met each of their eyes one by one, "thin ice, understood?"</p><p>"Ma’am," they chorused.</p><p>"Dismissed."</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>Aaron slid into the passenger's seat of the Rover, sinking back into the leather. Adrenaline had finally left him, and all he had left was an ache of fatigue that started in his temples and ended in the soles of his feet.</p><p>The engine rumbled into life and they joined the flow of traffic outside the station. Finn was accompanying Michael back, leaving just Adam and Aaron to get Robert back to his residence. The sun was just beginning to dip, leaving an orange glow on the buildings that reflected off glass onto Aaron's face. He tipped his head back, and the let his eyes drift to the figure sitting diagonally from him in the back seat.</p><p>Robert was still holding the takeaway coffee cup they’d given him when they’d taken his statement, though its contents must have long gone cold by now. His eyes were half-closed as he watched the streets flit past them. Occasionally there was the short vibration of an incoming message on his phone, but he made no move to answer any of them.</p><p>Aaron bit his lip at the empty look in his eyes. "I need to get him home," he said, mostly to himself. "Adam?"</p><p>"Sixteen minutes."</p><p>Aaron spoke louder, twisting in his seat to look at Robert. "Nearly home, sir. Roads aren’t too busy tonight."</p><p>Robert gave no indication that he’d heard him.</p><p>The quiet and stillness of the residency was jarring compared to the noise and chaos of the station. Robert dragged himself from the car without looking back, so Aaron collected his briefcase and phone from the back seat and then followed up to the front door. Behind them, the sound of the car engine faded away as Adam drove a little way around, parking up in their usual spot to wait.</p><p>"If you wouldn’t mind, sir...?" Aaron asked as they stepped over the threshold. Robert just nodded, closing the front door and then leaning back against it.</p><p>At the top of the stairs, Aaron set down his belongings in the kitchen and then moved through the house, checking every door, every window, every cupboard, no matter how small. Going through the house from top to bottom was the only way he was going to be able to sleep at all tonight. He drew all the curtains, wiggled all the locks on the windows into place, and turned the lights on in the living room and kitchen.</p><p>When he was finally satisfied, he headed back to the stairs. Robert had abandoned his coffee cup on a small glass table by the door, and he was fumbling with the knot on his tie. At the sound of Aaron’s footsteps, he looked up expectantly.</p><p>"All done, sir."</p><p>"Thanks," Robert said, the first word he'd said to Aaron since he'd been dragged off earlier. He climbed the stairs, brushing past Aaron into the living room.</p><p>Aaron hovered in the doorway, watching Robert all but collapse onto the sofa. He dug the tv remote out from under a cushion and pointed it at the screen. There was a jarring blare of noise. The tv had turned on automatically to the evening news, and Aaron couldn’t hold back his grimace when he saw the next news story roll onto the screen.</p><p>
  <em>"Our top story tonight: gunshots at the headquarters of S.R. Sugden’s in a suspected assassination attempt. Multiple police cars attended the scene this afternoon as-"</em>
</p><p>Robert hit the mute button. They both watched in silence as images flashed up, photos the media had managed to capture of the backup units swarming into the building. Aaron bit his lip. It was unnerving to look at, the pushing and shoving, the police in combat gear rushing into the building. It must have been ten times worse for civilians to see. A hundred times worse for Robert.</p><p>Being in the middle of the chaos had been more than enough; Aaron didn’t need reminding of it. He was just coming up with a reason to make his excuses and leave, when Robert spoke.</p><p>"Thank you," he said, barely loud enough for Aaron to hear him. "For today. If you hadn’t been there…" he trailed off. The words he didn’t say hung heavy between them.</p><p>Aaron’s eyes settled on the side of his head as he watched the screen. "I did my best, sir."</p><p>"You…even though you still don’t like me all that much- no, don’t," Robert cut Aaron off before he could protest, "we both know it’s true. Yet you still put your own life at risk for…for me."</p><p>Aaron didn’t say anything for a moment. He drew in a breath and released it slowly before he chose to reply. "It’s not my job to like you, sir, it’s my job to keep you alive."</p><p>"God, will you stop with the ‘sir’ thing?" Robert's voice turned hard. "I know that’s your job, I’m trying to say thank you."</p><p>Aaron couldn’t help but think how vulnerable he looked then, they way he’d hunched in on himself, pushed back into the sofa cushions. Despite his barb, Aaron felt a pang of sympathy for him. "Ok, well. You’re welcome, I suppose."</p><p>"Really," Robert looked over at Aaron still standing on the threshold, wide eyes shining a little in the low light. "Thank you. I’m realising now just how much of a bastard I was to you when we first met. You didn’t deserve that at all. I really would like you and I to be able to get on, properly, so. I’m sorry again."</p><p>Aaron lifted one shoulder and dropped it again. "It’s fine s- Robert." It was the first time he’d addressed the man by his first name. It felt strange on his tongue, the word an alien object in the air in front of him.</p><p>"Honestly,’ Robert pressed on. "I really am sorry. I promise to be better from now on."</p><p>Aaron found himself smiling a little. "I’ll believe that when I see it." His attempt at breaking the tension worked; Robert rolled his eyes, a hint of a smile playing around his mouth. "Look, I ought to get going. The night team are on their way. Will you be ok here tonight?"</p><p>The smile vanished from Robert’s face. His eyes darted around the room. "Do you mind sitting with me for a while?" he said, shifting uncomfortably on the sofa and dropping his eyes to the grey carpeted floor. "I wouldn't normally ask, but I don’t particularly want to be alone just now. Not after today."</p><p>Aaron didn’t even consider saying no. "Of course." He reached for his radio. "Just clearing things up here. Twenty minutes."</p><p>
  <em>"Copy."</em>
</p><p>He moved forward; footsteps muffled on the carpet. When he reached the sofa, he pulled his earpiece from around his neck and unclipped his gun and radio, setting them down on the coffee table in front of Robert’s knees. He sat down carefully, shifting a little, unsure of where to put himself. He settled for leaning back, right ankle resting on his left knee.</p><p>They watched the tv in silence for a moment before Robert spoke. "Er, can I get you a drink? Tea, coffee? I’ve got beer if you want. And food, if you’re hungry?"</p><p>Aaron nearly declined, he was still technically working after all and Adam was waiting outside. One look at Robert’s expression, though, and he thought that perhaps ten more minutes couldn’t hurt. "Coffee, please, sir. But I can make it, if you like?" He glanced over his shoulder at the kitchen.</p><p>"Let me. It’s the least I can do." Robert lifted himself from the sofa, padding his way into the kitchen. Aaron fidgeted as he listened to the whir of machinery, the clinking of a teaspoon against the inside of a mug. He uncrossed and then crossed his legs again, not wanting to appear too relaxed but simultaneously wanting Robert to feel at ease. How much of this could be deemed unprofessional, Aaron didn’t know, but the urge he felt to offer what reassurance he could to Robert won over his instinct to stay on the job. When Robert handed Aaron’s drink to him and offered a small smile, Aaron made sure he smiled back.</p><p>"Thank you," he said as Robert sat down with his own mug. He sniffed the coffee appreciatively. As expected, it smelled expensive.</p><p>"You’re welcome. A cup of coffee is the least I can do to say thank you."</p><p>"You don’t have to thank me, sir. Like I said, it’s my job."</p><p>"<em>Robert,</em> please. And I know, it’s just-" Robert broke off, frowning. He’d drawn in on himself again on the sofa, mug cradled between his hands. Aaron kept quiet. "I know I’m not particularly well liked, but I never thought someone would actually want to…you know. During the interview they asked me if it could be anyone I know, and my mind just went straight to Andy. What with him contacting me today out of the blue, and then everything that happened. And if it was Andy… I don’t even want to imagine how much he must hate me."</p><p>"Are things really that bad between you?" Aaron asked. He felt like they were heading into uncharted territory here. He was sure he wasn't allowed to ask such questions outside of an interview room, but after the day they'd had, who could begrudge him the chance to talk things over?</p><p>"'Bad' is something of an understatement." Robert took a sip of coffee. "We were quite close growing up, but then after our parents died, and he found out they'd left everything to me...things went south quite quickly."</p><p>"He wanted to run the business himself?" Aaron tried to piece things together in his head. A scorned brother exacting revenge for something he believed should rightfully be his. It sounded far-fetched, but it wasn't the most outlandish thing he'd ever heard of.</p><p>"Something like that." Robert watched the silent screen. "But I know Andy. The state my father left the company in...he wouldn't have been able to cope."</p><p>Aaron chose not to point out that it didn't look like Robert was coping, either. "The state of the business...?"</p><p>"A couple of years before Jack died, he got involved with a couple of dodgy businessmen. He took a good chunk of the company's money and threw it into buying stocks and shares because people had told it him it would pay off."</p><p>"But it didn't..."</p><p>Robert's expression turned grim. "Right. It went wrong, like my mother told him it would. Then he died, followed by my mother, and then I had to sort his mess out. It was tough for a while, he owed all sorts of people money. We nearly went under, but a few clients stuck around. They kept us afloat."</p><p>Aaron nodded. 'So these people...they're trying to get their money back, but from you?"</p><p>"We had to make so many cuts to try and get the money together, and each time I think we've gotten rid of someone, someone else come out of the woodwork. I sometimes I think I’ve been a bit naive. You know, I thought hiring a security team was just a precaution. I didn’t actually think that they’d ever need to put themselves in danger. If any one of you had gotten hurt today, I never would have forgiven myself."</p><p>"We know what this job entails," Aaron said gently. "We wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t what we wanted to do."</p><p>"But what about your families? They must worry about you all the time."</p><p>Aaron’s mind jumped to Chas. "They do. My mum is chief worrier of the family. But they understand that it comes with the territory of the job. They know the risks involved, just like we do."</p><p>‘It can’t be easy for her.’</p><p>"Nah," Aaron said with a huff. "She’s pregnant too, and nearly due, so I try and keep the worst of it from her to stop her stressing. She’ll have seen the news today though, so no doubt she’ll be figuring out who I’m working for. That’s mothers for you, though." The words were out of Aaron’s mouth before he could think twice. He felt rather than saw Robert deflate next to him, and suddenly felt like the world's biggest idiot. "God, sorry," he rushed, "ignore me, I’m just talking rubbish, it’s been a hell of a day."</p><p>"No, it’s ok," Robert leaned forward to set his mug onto the table. He shifted his shoulders to face Aaron. "It’s been a while, but I do remember."</p><p>"I didn’t mean anything by it-"</p><p>"I know, Aaron," Robert's smile was kind. "You don’t have to apologise. She’s in my life every day, in the company. <em>S.R. Sugden’s</em>. S for Sarah. I renamed it when I took over."</p><p>Aaron reached out, placing a hand on Robert’s forearm. "I’m sure that would have meant a lot to her." He took his hand back. "Shall I, er, shall I make more coffee?"</p><p>"No, thank you. I’ll never sleep if I keep drinking that stuff." Robert let out a huge yawn. "Although after today I think I could probably sleep for a week."</p><p>"I’ll leave you to rest, then," Aaron said, standing from the sofa. He picked up their empty mugs and put them by the sink, then fetched his radio and gun from the coffee table. Robert stood too as he pushed his earpiece back in, following him to the front door.</p><p>"Thank you, again," he said sincerely, watching Aaron fold the collar of his jacket down. "For sitting with me for a while. You didn’t have to."</p><p>"You’re welcome," Aaron said, smiling in what he hoped what a comforting way when Robert met his eyes. "Anyone would be shaken up if they’d been through what you have today. Rest, take it easy this weekend. We’ll be in contact."</p><p>Robert nodded, though he didn’t say anything else.</p><p>"Sir, it’s ok," Aaron reached out, placing a hand on his bicep. "You’re safe here. There’ll be a team stationed outside your house all night, and I’m only a phone call away if you need me."</p><p>Robert dropped his eyes to the carpet. "So if I was worried, or something, and I called...you’d come?"</p><p>"Of course," Aaron let his hand drop away. "All of us would-"</p><p>"Aaron," Robert took a small step closer. Aaron’s heart gave a hard thump in his chest at the new proximity, having to tilt his chin up a little to meet Robert’s eyes. "I mean you. If I called you. You’d come if I needed you?"</p><p>Aaron swallowed heavily. "Sir, I-"</p><p>"Please," Robert’s voice dropped. He looked up, green eyes wide as they flicked between Aaron’s own with an urgency that Aaron hadn’t anticipated. "Would you?"</p><p>Aaron swallowed. "Yeah. Yes."</p><p>His words sounded like they were coming from somewhere else instead of his own mouth. It was as if truths he wasn’t ready to admit to himself were spilling out of their own accord like they needed to be told, like they knew better than he did and they wouldn’t be denied anymore. His affirmation hung in the heavy silence between them. Robert’s eyes searched his.</p><p>Aaron cleared his throat, shattering the quiet. "But there’s no need to worry, we’re doing everything we can to-"</p><p>"Listen," Robert said, raising his palm. Hesitantly, he placed it on Aaron’s shoulder, the tip of his thumb resting on his collarbone. "I’m not talking about them. I’m talking about you. Today, when you ran out of that bathroom, and I heard you shouting, I-" his fingers tightened on Aaron’s jacket. "I need to know you’ll come back."</p><p>"Come on, it’s ok." Aaron pulled Robert down, wrapping his arms around his shoulders. He felt him exhale, somehow managing to fit himself against Aaron despite their difference in height. Aaron curled his fingers into his shirt, holding him close, and inhaled slowly. Robert smelled warm, just the remnants of cologne lingering on his skin.</p><p>Aaron made to move back, but Robert held on. He turned his head a little way towards him. Something in the pit of Aaron’s stomach twisted and he blinked, keenly aware of Robert’s hands on his back, his breath tickling his cheek.</p><p>It was Aaron who closed the gap between them, tilting his chin to catch Robert’s lips with his own. Robert made a small sound, and then Aaron felt fingers on his neck, cupping his jaw. He pulled back from Aaron and angled his head the opposite way, his lips soft and searching. He caught Aaron’s bottom lip between his own, nose pressing into his cheek.</p><p>Aaron couldn’t help himself; he slid his hands down to Robert’s waist, pulling him in until there was no space left between them. Disjointed thoughts passed through his mind, that Robert wasn’t in the right space for this, that this was breaking every rule he’d been taught, and that god, his lips felt so good against his own.</p><p>
  <em>"Are you coming or what? Night team’s here."</em>
</p><p>"Jesus!" Aaron jumped at Adam’s voice in his ear, tearing away from Robert. He fumbled for his radio. "Yeah, yeah, two minutes."</p><p>Roberts eyes were wide as he watched Aaron, lips still slightly parted. He blinked, and Aaron saw his Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed. ‘Uh-‘</p><p>‘I-‘ Aaron said at the same time. They both fell silent, regarding each other. He scratched the back of his neck, as if he could still feel Robert’s fingers on his skin. ‘I should go. It’s getting late, we're both shattered.’</p><p>‘Right. Yes, of course,’ Robert said. He opened his mouth as if to say something else but then apparently thought better of it.</p><p>For a moment they watched each other. Then a car horn beeped outside, and Aaron took a step backwards. He nodded at Robert and then turned on his heel, jogging down the stairs and out into the balmy evening air.</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>Aaron stabbed a finger on the doorbell and then stood back off the step. He plucked his earphones from his ears, winding them around his fingers and shoving them into his pocket. Squinting up at the sky, he wrinkled his nose at the grey rainclouds rolling in overhead. The morning had started clear, but the further north he’d travelled, the darker the skies had become.</p><p>He’d wasted no time in getting out of the city that morning, rising just as dawn had announced herself to the world. He’d told himself that the early start was necessary: the earlier he got back home the more time he’d have with his mum, but a persistent little voice in the back of his head took great pleasure in reminding him that he was running away.</p><p>He could try to deny it all he wanted, but that irritating voice was right. Between the attempt on Robert’s life, the grilling from the Sarge, and then what had happened between he and Robert at his flat the previous evening, it had just been too much. The truth was that he was fleeing the city, running far away back to the safety and security of his hometown.</p><p>Even plugging himself into his music and turning it up high all through the train journey hadn’t been enough to stop Aaron thinking about Robert. He circled round and round in Aaron’s mind; that look in his eyes when Aaron had said he’d come if he called for him, the way he leaned in, the feel of his breath on Aaron’s mouth-</p><p>Aaron shook his head, closing his eyes for a moment. Off all the things he could have done, kissing the man who had hired him to keep him safe was right up there on the Things Never Ever To Do list. It had crossed one hell of a line. He shouldn’t have let it get that far in the first place. Robert had been vulnerable and shaken up, seeking comfort in the person closest to him, and Aaron had let his guard down. The thought that he had possibly taken advantage of Robert weighed heavy in the pit of his stomach.</p><p>Aaron scuffed the toe of his shoe on the doorstep. Approaching voices from behind the door, and he fixed a smile on his face as it swung open.</p><p>"Aaron!" His mum beamed at him, opening her arms wide. "Oh, I’m so happy to see you! Come here, baby."</p><p>Aaron stepped into the house, bending forwards slightly over his mum’s protruding belly to wrap his arms around her. He breathed her in, the familiar floral scent of her perfume. "Hiya, mum. You all right?"</p><p>"Never better, love. Come on, come through, Paddy’s in the sitting room."</p><p>He dumped his bag by the door and followed Chas as she waddled down the cream carpeted hall. Virtually nothing had changed since he’d left; the only difference now was the addition of baby paraphernalia spread everywhere. He spotted a pram waiting expectantly by the back door of the kitchen as they passed by, and the room next to the living room had been turned into the nursery. He snorted at the colour of the walls and was still grinning when he reached the living room.</p><p>"Forest Green, Paddy?" he asked the man on the sofa by way of a greeting. "You could have at least picked a nicer shade if you were gonna choose green."</p><p>"All right, all right," Paddy rolled his eyes, standing and enveloping Aaron in a hug. "Your mum’s been on at me enough already. How was I to know it’d turn out like that?"</p><p>"Looks like mould."</p><p>"Thanks," Paddy nodded. ‘We've got to get a shift on if we want it repainted; we're running out of time."</p><p>"Yeah, not long now, is it?" Aaron watched Chas lower herself into an armchair next to the sofa where Paddy sat.</p><p>"Ten days to go." Chas nodded. She smoothed a hand over her bump. "Can’t believe it’s come around this quickly. Feels like last week were at the first scan."</p><p>"You ready, then?" Aaron asked.</p><p>"Yes, love. Paddy’s had the hospital bag packed and by the front door for two weeks now. He’s more prepared than I am."</p><p>Paddy shook his head fondly, standing and squeezing Chas’ shoulder before heading out of the room. Aaron heard him turn the tap on and fill the kettle, the subsequent clinking of mugs on a tray.</p><p>"Anything I can do?" he asked.</p><p>Chas leaned forward the best she could pat his knee. "Everything’s sorted, love. Don’t you worry about me. Just make sure you come and meet her as soon as you can."</p><p>"Yeah, I will do. And I’ll paint over that gross colour while I'm at it."</p><p>"Heard that," Paddy called from just outside the room. He came around the corner, balancing three mugs on wooden tray. Setting it down on the coffee table, he handed Aaron a steaming cup of tea in blue mug with little smiling cartoon clouds painted on it.</p><p>"That’s one thing I can’t wait to have back in my life," Chas took her own mug from Paddy, wrinkling her nose. "Decent cup of tea. I’m so sick of this peppermint stuff."</p><p>"I’ll make you one the second we get home from hospital. How does that sound?"</p><p>"Sounds like a deal," Chas took a sip from her mug, grimacing, and then set it down on the small round table next to her armchair. "Hey, did you see all that stuff on the telly last night about that Robert Sugden? Apparently, someone got inside his building! You haven’t heard anything inside the station about that, have you?"</p><p>Unbidden, an image of himself shoving Robert against the wall as bullets flew past them sprung to the forefront of Aaron's mind, and he pushed it away sharply. From what he’d seen of the news, the only shots the cameras had got of him were of the back of his head where he’d been stuck close to Robert. He wasn’t about to worry his mum by telling her he’d been in the middle of that. "No, haven’t heard anything."</p><p>"What’s the point of being on the inside when you can’t get any of the details?" Paddy said. Chas reached for her tea, and Paddy leaned over to help her steady it.</p><p>"Come on," Aaron rolled his eyes. "Even if I did know something, you know I can’t tell you. Confidentiality, remember? Besides, I’ve got my own team to be worrying about."</p><p>"Ooh, yes! Right, come on, tell me all about this new job of yours."</p><p>Aaron took a mouthful of tea. He looked down at his mug, running the pad of his finger over the rough dent of a chip in the base. "Yeah, it’s good. There’s three of us on the team. Personal protection for a member of the public. Security, if you like."</p><p>"And you are being careful, aren’t you love?" Chas said, stroking slow circles on her belly. "Someone who needs a bodyguard obviously has someone after them. Just look at that Robert, the mess he’s got himself into. Don’t go getting yourself into any scrapes, will you?"</p><p>"I’m fine, mum," Aaron told her gently. "It’s not like in the films; the risks are fairly low. We know what we’re doing."</p><p>"Mm." Chas’ narrowed eyes told him she didn’t believe him one bit. "If you say so."</p><p>"Oi, don’t stress," Aaron nodded at her belly. "Or Paddy’ll kill me."</p><p>"Damn right he will." Paddy agreed, eyeing Chas’ hand. "Are you in pain?"</p><p>"No, love." Chas smiled at him. "She’s just wriggling. Not much room in there anymore."</p><p>Aaron watched them look at each other. Thoughts of Robert crept into his mind again. The whole point of today had been to escape him, spend the day actively not thinking about him and what had happened between them. Only now, looking between his mum and Paddy, there he was, occupying his thoughts.</p><p>He wondered if he was ok, if he had done as he was told and was resting in front of the television with a beer. He hoped he wasn’t working; poring over stacks of paperwork wasn’t conducive to feeling less stressed. Maybe he ought to message him, check in.</p><p>This feeling of wanting to protect Robert was strange, and it didn’t feel entirely professional. Getting away from him was supposed to have been the perfect way to forget about what had happened between them, to bury it. It had done the exact opposite; he wanted to be back with him in his flat where he could see him, keep him safe. How that had happened, how Aaron had gone from wanting to punch his lights out to almost needing to be near him in a matter of weeks, was concerning to say the least.</p><p>Aaron thought of him pressed up against his body, breath just touching his lips, and something squirmed in the pit of his belly.</p><p>"I’m just going to make a call," Aaron set his half-empty mug down on the table and stood. "Won’t be a sec."</p><p>"Surely they can cope without you for one day?" Paddy frowned.</p><p>Aaron shrugged, already heading for the door. "They can, I’m just checking in. Make yourself useful and get some biscuits, will you?"</p><p>"All right, bossy," he heard Paddy mutter as he left the room. He headed through the kitchen and stepped out of the back door into the garden.</p><p>The skies were looking greyer, dark clouds turning almost black on the horizon. Aaron shut the door behind him and turned left to stand under a wooden veranda that extended a little way onto the grass. It looked a bit precarious, like it might topple over in a particularly strong breeze. Probably a bit of Paddy’s finest DIY.</p><p>A pair of brand new rocking chairs had been set out on either side of circular stained glass table. Aaron pulled his phone out from the pocket of his jeans and sat in the one furthest away from the door. He shouldn’t really be doing this. Doing this would be breaking another rule.</p><p>His thumb hovered over the call button on ‘Gemini’’s profile in his contact list. Really, he shouldn’t. Really, he should put his phone away and go back inside.</p><p>He pressed the name on the screen, lifting the phone to his ear.</p><p>It rang three times before the line connected, and voice said, "Hello?" Aaron was quiet for a moment. Too long, because a few seconds later Robert spoke again. "Hello?" he sounded groggy, like he’d just woken up.</p><p>Aaron shook himself, floundering. "Erm," he said, brain scrambling to put words into a coherent sentence. "Sorry, I…"</p><p>"Aaron?"</p><p>Aaron swallowed heavily. "Yeah, I…I pressed the wrong name on my phone. Sorry."</p><p>"Oh," Robert replied. Aaron’s imagination must have been working overtime, because to his ears, Robert sounded a little disappointed. "That’s ok. Bye, then."</p><p>Aaron hung up, chucking his phone into the table next to him with a clatter and dropping his face into his palms. He let out a slow exhale to calm the frantic beat of his heart.</p><p>This had to stop; he had to reel it in. Doing his job properly was the only thing that mattered, everything else had to be pushed aside.</p><p>He startled at the buzz of his phone on the glass. It vibrated again, and Aaron peered over to see an incoming call, ‘Gemini’ showing at the top of the screen.</p><p>Aaron watched it for a moment, and then stood abruptly, leaving his phone on the table and heading back indoors.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>At seven-fifteen on Monday morning Aaron walking into the station, two steaming coffee cups in hand. He collapsed into the spare seat next to Adam’s desk, wordlessly sliding one of the cups over to him. Adam took it with a groan that Aaron interpreted as gratitude, cradling it in both hands.</p><p>The call had come late the previous evening, not long after Aaron had arrived back from his mums. He, Adam, and Finn were all on desk duty that day, completing paperwork on the events of last Friday. Aaron should have been expecting it really; Sarge was known for keeping officers who had undergone conflict back in the office for a couple of days to give them a chance to regroup before they returned to the field.</p><p>In any other situation Aaron would have appreciated it, but this time he found himself torn. He wanted desk duty so he wouldn’t have to see Robert and therefore confront what had happened between them, but another part of him, the bigger, instinctual part, wanted to be where Robert was. Aaron could protect him best when he was right next to him.</p><p>“Morning.” Aaron kept his voice low, and Adam yawned in reply. “You all right?”</p><p>“Yeah, mate, m’fine. It’s just Monday, innit,” Adam grumbled, swallowing a mouthful of coffee. “I slept for most of the weekend and I’m still knackered. Still, I’m glad we don’t have to go and deal with Sugden today, aren’t you? Could do without that headache. How are you doing?”</p><p>“Yeah.’ Aaron nodded. “Yeah I’m ok. It was nice to see my mum and Paddy, kind of took my mind off what happened, you know?”</p><p>Adam made a noise of agreement around the lip of his coffee cup. “I know. At least we’ve got a fairly easy day ahead of us here. Honestly, I never thought I’d be this happy to be on desk duty. Which poor lot are covering for us?”</p><p>“Dunno,” Aaron said, sliding a little way down in his seat and crossing his right ankle over his left. “Can’t be the night guys. Stand-in team, probably.” </p><p>“Probably.” Adam stretched his arms up over his head, then used one arm to scratch the back of his neck. Aaron saw him glance around them, and then he dropped his arms, leaning forward in his chair. “Oi, listen,” he said. “I heard a couple of guys from forensics talking as I came in this morning.”</p><p>“What?’ Aaron sat up straight. “Have they identified someone?”</p><p>“Not quite,” Adam lowered his voice further. “Obviously don’t spread this around, cos I might have misheard something, and we should wait for debrief.” Aaron nodded quickly in agreement. “Apparently the bullets in the wall came from a Glock, a seventeen, I think they said. So, a decent weapon, yeah? But the shots were clumsy, and off target. They said that even if Sugden had been stood right in front of the shooter, they would have missed. How weird’s that?”</p><p>Aaron set his coffee down on Adam’s desk, frowning. “So, what, you think we’re dealing with someone inexperienced?”</p><p>“Maybe.” Adam waited for someone to pass by their desk and out of earshot before continuing. “I’m not sure, though. They were in point blank range of the two of you...even an amateur can point in the right direction, can’t they?”</p><p>“Wait,” Aaron said, pausing while what Adam was hinting at clicked in his head. “You think they missed deliberately?”</p><p>“Yeah, I do,” Adam said. His teeth worried the corner of his bottom lip. “I did some thinking over the weekend, and what forensics said this morning only made me think it more. I reckon the whole thing was set up by the shooter. They could have got hold of some numbers and cancelled that meeting without Sugden knowing, then tipped the photographers off to block the front doors. That forced you two towards the only other exit, where they were waiting for you.”</p><p>Aaron scooted his chair closer, coffee forgotten. “That doesn’t make sense, though. Why go to all that effort, like tipping off photographers and cancelling meetings, just to deliberately miss?”</p><p>Adam shrugged. “Sugden’s got us now, hasn’t he? Threatening letters aren’t going to cut it anymore. They had to up the ante, had to properly scare him to show that they’re still around. It worked, didn’t it? They got under his skin.”</p><p>Aaron began to reply, his mind going a mile a minute, but then he caught sight of the Sarge heading over to them. He snapped his mouth shut and nudged Adam, swivelling his body to face her. Swiping his coffee up, he took a mouthful, aiming for casual. “Morning, ma’am.”</p><p>She stopped in front of them. In her hand she held a clipboard with a pen attached to the top by a string. By the frown etched between her eyebrows, Aaron could tell that he wasn’t going to like whatever news she was here to break.</p><p>“Morning, guys, I trust you both got some rest over the weekend?” They both nodded. “Slight change of plan. As much I’d love to keep you here today where I can keep an eye on you, Mr. Sugden has requested your team accompany him on his schedule today.” She glanced at the clock on the wall to her left, thankfully not noticing the way Aaron’s eyes had bugged out of his head. “First appointment is at ten am, so that gives the two of you the chance to get home to change and pick up your weapons. PC Woodall has been informed; he’ll be in touch with the car anytime soon. Questions?”</p><p>“Ma’am,” they said again. She nodded, turning on her heel and heading back across the room.</p><p>“Oh, that’s brilliant, that,” Aaron heard Adam grumble as soon as she was out of earshot. “There goes my nice easy day. Why the hell has he requested us specifically? Does he think he’s too good for a stand in team? Is he really that entitled that he thinks-“</p><p>Adam’s voice faded into the background as Aaron sat there, watching the clock on the wall. He’d thought he had a least another day to prepare himself before he had to face Robert, and now he had a little less than two hours. How on earth he was supposed to look him in the eye, he had no idea. How was he supposed to behave around him, knowing what had happened between them? How could you be professional with someone you’d crossed such a line with?</p><p>He blinked, and Adam’s voice came back to full volume. Aaron interrupted his tirade with a sigh. “Adam. Come on, mate. Let’s just go.”</p><p>Adam huffed. He stood, swiping up his half-drunk coffee. “Fine. But I’m taking this with me. There’s no way I’m going to be able to deal with His Highness today without caffeine. And you,” he said directly to Aaron, “not a word about what I just told you, yeah? Don’t need Sarge breathing down my neck more than she already does.”</p><p>He stalked out of the office, Aaron on his heels, muttering darkly all the way to the lifts.</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>The day was warm, though the sun was hidden by a layer of thick cloud. The air in the city felt heavy and close, and although the clouds were white and fluffy at the moment, it felt as if there was a storm coming on the horizon.</p><p>Aaron stayed quiet on the drive over to Sugden’s. The caffeine had kicked into Adam’s system, and he was now whistling tunelessly along to the radio in the passenger seat. Finn was next to him, leaving Aaron alone to watch the streets speed by, lost in thought.</p><p>The best thing for everyone would be to just pretend that the events of the last few days had never happened, and just go on as normal. That failed phone call Aaron had tried to make had been a lapse in judgement, that was all. And what had happened in Robert’s house…well…neither of them had been in their right minds. They’d both been shaken up, looking for comfort in each other, and that was all. It didn’t have to mean anything.</p><p>He knew, with a degree of resignation, that strict professionalism was the only road he could take here. It was the only option available to him. Anything else could only end in tears.</p><p>When he walked up to Robert’s front door, the cars idling behind him, it was with something close to dread in his chest. He rang the bell and heard footsteps coming from inside, and held his breath, fingers folded together so tightly they ached.</p><p>Robert descended the stone steps. Aaron caught his slight, secret smile, and swallowed heavily.</p><p>“Good morning,” he said, quiet enough so it was clear it was for Aaron’s ears only.</p><p>It pained Aaron to reply with a polite, “Good morning, sir. This way, please.”</p><p>The way he saw Robert’s expression shutter, the smile slip straight off his face, was akin to punch in the gut. Aaron dug his fingernails into his palms, hard, and turned away, leaving Robert to trail after him.</p><p>The air inside the car on the way to the offices was unbearable. It weighed heavy on him, stifling, until he felt as if he might be suffocated by it. Robert’s eyes on the back of his head did little to help, burning holes into his skin.</p><p>At the office, Aaron didn’t give him a chance to say anything, leading the way into the building. He asked Adam to accompany Robert up to his floor, and while he got varying looks for that direction; confusion from Adam and disbelief from Robert, he stuck to it, taking up Adam’s usual position in the lobby.</p><p>It didn’t get much better from there. Robert did his best to catch his attention where he could; addressing him directly whenever he saw him, asking questions, but after one too many of Aaron’s short, emotionless responses, he stopped trying and resorted to ignoring him completely, choosing to speak to Adam only. If Aaron hadn’t already been feeling like a complete arsehole up until that point, he seriously was after that.</p><p>More than once, he opened his mouth to say something, anything, to stop Robert from looking so miserable, but each time he tried, a little voice in the back of his reminded him of his job, his duty. And so each time, he snapped his jaw shut, teeth clenched so hard he was afraid one might crack.</p><p>If it was possible, the drive home was worse that it had been that morning. Aaron couldn’t feel Robert’s eyes on him at all. One lightning quick glance in the mirror showed him staring out of the window, mouth turned down at the corners, face set in such resignation it made Aaron’s chest constrict.</p><p>At the front door, Robert unlocked it and then stepped aside to let Aaron through first. Aaron nodded his thanks and set off up the stairs without a backward glance.</p><p>He checked through the house as quickly as he could without being careless. He tugged locks on windows as he walked past, opened and closed cupboards in quick succession. In the bedroom, he checked behind the door and then under the bed.</p><p>So engrossed in the task at hand, he didn’t hear the footsteps approaching, so when he straightened up he jumped at the sight of Robert stood on the threshold.</p><p>“Sir,” Aaron began, willing his heart back into his chest from where it had relocated to his throat. “Please stay downstairs until I’m-“</p><p>“Why have you been ignoring me?” Robert cut him off.</p><p>Aaron stopped in his half turn away to the wardrobe. In the corner of his eye he could see Robert’s body. He had crossed his arms over his chest, face schooled into a carefully blank expression as he watched Aaron move around the room.</p><p>Aaron shook his head, turning to the unit in front of him and sliding the door across to reveal Robert’s clothes.</p><p>“Just a few moments more, sir,” he said, grouping several hangers together and shifting them aside. “Then I’ll leave you be.”</p><p>“I’m not going anywhere until you've talked to me properly. You’ve barely looked in my direction all day, why?”</p><p>Aaron moved the shirts back. “Sir-“</p><p>“Aaron, for god’s sake!” Robert snapped. “Stop with the ‘sir’! I asked you a question, the least you can do is answer it!”</p><p>The room between them stilled. Aaron bit the inside of his cheek. Slowly, he turned to face Robert, half afraid of what he might find in his eyes. With his right arm, he reached behind him to slide the wardrobe door closed, the scraping sound loud in the quiet.</p><p>“All clear, sir,” he said, and watched something flicker behind Robert’s eyes. “Get some rest. I’ll see you in the morning.”</p><p>Aaron made to move past, but the man took a step sideways to block Aaron’s path. His hand reached out, fingers curling around Aaron’s bicep, not hard, but enough to stop him where he was. “Answer the question.”</p><p>That jittery feeling was back in the pit of Aaron’s stomach. Robert had gotten far too close to him. He yanked his arm out of his grip with more force that necessary, taking a step back again. “I don’t owe you an answer.”</p><p>“When I’m paying you, you do!”</p><p>Aaron frowned, opening his mouth before he could reign his irritation back in. “Right, so now you think you own people just cos you can chuck money at them? Come off it. We both know that <em>you</em> <em>don’t</em> pay me!”</p><p>“I just want to know what I’ve done to warrant you ignoring me all day!”</p><p>Aaron rolled his eyes in a blatant attempt to wind Robert up. Anger was good, anger would keep Robert at arm’s length. “I’m hardly ignoring you, am I? I’ve spent all day with you. It’s my job to be near you!”</p><p>“And yet you’ve barely said two words to me. That’s not exactly doing ‘your job’, is it?” Robert flicked his fingers in little air quotes. “I was under the impression that communication was a key part of what you’re supposed to be doing?”</p><p>Aaron scoffed. “There's nothing wrong with the way I communicate with my team, thanks. Besides, I was supposed to be in the office today! I’m only here because <em>you</em> requested it.”</p><p>“And you’re not even trying to hide the fact that you’d rather be anywhere else,” Robert curled his lip into a sneer. “Not very professional, that, is it?”</p><p>“Oi, don't talk to me about professionalism,” Aaron bit back. “Do I need to remind you what a pain in the arse you were when we first met?”</p><p>Robert’s mouth dropped open. “That's not fair, I’ve apologised for that! How was I supposed to know you were-“ he stopped himself, looking away.</p><p>Aaron watched Robert fidget, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. He narrowed his eyes. “How were you to know I was what?” he said, then louder when Robert didn’t respond: “come on, don’t stop now!”</p><p>Robert stayed silent. The sneer dropped from his face, leaving that flat, empty look in its place. “I’m sorry,” he said with a helpless shrug. “I thought we were ok now, I-“ he shoved his hands deep into the pockets of his trousers. “This is because of what happened here on Friday, isn’t it?”</p><p>Aaron swallowed down a dry throat. All his hopes he’d had of avoiding this conversation and just pretending that it had never happened had gone up in flames. He studied the corner of the duvet folded over the bed.</p><p>“Knew it,” Robert said into the wide-open space between them. “I knew it was because of that.” Aaron heard him release a slow, even breath. “I’ve got no excuse for it. I suppose I needed someone, and you were there. I know crossed a line, and you’re well within your rights to file a complaint. I’ll call the station in the morning to and ask for a new team to be put together.”</p><p>Aaron felt as if he’d missed a step, brain scrambling to catch up. “Woah, slow down. What?”</p><p>Robert shoved a hand through his hair, making it stick up. “I just wasn’t thinking straight. Friday was hell, and you were just there, and I just...Don’t worry, I’ll make sure you never have to work for me again-“</p><p>“Robert, stop.” Aaron held his palms up towards him. “Stop.”</p><p>Thankfully, Robert stopped. They stayed that way for a moment, Aaron’s palms up as if he was calming a startled animal. Outside, a car horn beeped, and someone yelled, jarring in the stillness of Robert’s bedroom. Aaron ran his tongue over his bottom lip, and then cleared his throat.</p><p>“Look, it wasn’t just you, you know,” he croaked. “Friday was awful for me, too.”</p><p>Robert shook his head, mouth turning down at the corners. “Please, don’t pity me. You don’t have to say what you think I want to hear. I’ve said what I needed to. You can go.”</p><p>He made to turn away, but Aaron lurched forward, wrapping his fingers around his bare wrist. “No, wait. If you crossed a line, then so did I.”</p><p>“Aaron.” He tried to twist his wrist out of Aaron’s grip. “It’s fine, we’re both adults. Let’s just forget it, it doesn’t matter.”</p><p>“No, listen to me. Listen.” He held fast to Robert’s arm. When he met Robert’s eyes again, Aaron saw embarrassment there. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry I’ve been awful to be around today. I just didn’t know what to do. I acted out of line on Friday. I didn’t want you to think I’d taken advantage of you.”</p><p>“You...of me?” Robert shook his head. “I don’t understand.”</p><p>“Well, er,” Aaron pushed on, ignoring the heat that was creeping his up neck. “What happened wasn’t exactly... unwelcome.”</p><p>Robert’s head tipped to one side. “It wasn’t?”</p><p>“No.” Aaron said. He forced the words out, unable to be anything but be honest now. “It wasn’t. The problem is, it shouldn’t have happened. I’m supposed to be doing a job here.”</p><p>“You thought you’d taken advantage of me? Why? I kissed you,” Robert said.</p><p>“I think you’ll find <em>I</em> kissed <em>you.</em>” Aaron grimaced. “I shouldn’t have done, so, I’m sorry.”</p><p>“Don’t apologise. God.” Robert sat down heavily on the edge of his bed, relief evident in his voice. “It wasn’t unwelcome for me, either. I spent all weekend thinking about it, but then you were so off with me today I thought I’d done something awful.”</p><p>“Far from it,” Aaron admitted. “It’s my fault for making you worry when you should have been resting. Honestly, I wasn’t expecting you to be ready to go back to work until at least tomorrow.”</p><p>Robert lifted an eyebrow in a way that told Aaron he was being particularly dense. “How else was I going to see you? Why’d you think I requested you be on the team today?” He smiled suddenly, disarmingly. “I didn’t even need to go to the office this morning.”</p><p>Aaron was rapidly becoming aware of how much of a monumental idiot he’d been. He had no reply, so instead he just looked at Robert. He allowed himself the one thing he’d managed to keep himself from doing all day, and just looked.</p><p>It was amazing, the little things he saw now that wouldn’t have even crossed his mind a few days ago. He saw the way Robert’s light blue shirt was untucked at the waist, material crumpled around the hems. The way he’d rolled his sleeves up to his elbows, exposing the hard lines of his forearms that made Aaron’s mouth go dry. His undone top button. His hair, ruffled from where he’d run his fingers through it. His eyes, the green of them looking steadily at him, but flickering with just a hint of the same fear Aaron had seen there when he’d locked him in the bathroom on that awful afternoon last week.</p><p>Aaron saw him. At that moment, he was so far from the image everyone had of him as this ruthless, money-driven businessman, that it was almost laughable. He was just a man, who was lost, lonely, bereft of his parents and estranged from his brother, and living with the fear of someone wanting to harm him every single day of his life. And here was Aaron, the one person who was supposed to be closest to him, protecting him, acting cold and uncaring when Robert still needed his reassurance.</p><p>“God.” He shook his head even as he stepped forwards, hands out reaching to cup Robert’s jaw.</p><p>He leaned down, tilting Robert face up so he could fit their lips together. Robert was still for a moment, but then his hands shot up, gripping the lapels of Aaron’s jacket. His mouth moved under Aaron’s, backing off just to adjust the angle before pushing up again, nose digging into Aaron’s cheek.</p><p>His breath was hot, lips dry as they pressed against Aaron’s. Aaron slid one hand around to the back of Robert’s head, threading his fingers into the short strands there. He could feel the first hints of a five o’clock shadow scratching against his chin. Tentatively, he touched his tongue to Robert’s bottom lip, heat twisting low when Robert let out a moan and let him in.</p><p>Aaron pulled back for air, and Robert followed, standing up and keeping Aaron close by his waist. He nudged his nose under Aaron’s chin to reach his neck, pressing open mouthed kisses to his skin. Aaron’s head tipped back, air leaving his lungs in a slow breath.</p><p>He opened his eyes when he felt a hand slide under the back of his jacket, pulling at his shirt.</p><p>“Easy,” he said on an exhale. Robert pulled back to meet his eyes. His lips were still parted, eyes dark and glinting under the lights.</p><p>“Ok?” he asked.</p><p>Aaron leaned back a little, though he couldn’t take his eyes off Robert’s mouth. “I should...the guys are outside waiting for me.”</p><p>“Oh, right, of course,” Robert pulled away, putting a couple of feet between them. Aaron felt the loss of his touch immediately. “Sorry,” he said awkwardly.</p><p>Aaron stepped after him, grabbing hold of Robert’s arms and placing them back around his own waist. He cupped Robert’s neck again, bringing him in for a slow, easy kiss. “Don't. I’m not saying no, I’m saying not now, yeah?”</p><p>“Oh,” Robert said again. His mouth stretched into a grin. “I see.”</p><p>“D’you understand?” Aaron said, peering into his eyes. “This is mad, but I want it. I do. But, I have to do my job first. When we’re at work, we have to be professional. I have to keep my head straight to keep you safe.”</p><p>Robert nodded, sobering as Aaron spoke. “I understand. But…” he ran a hand down Aaron’s back, stopping just at the base of his spine, “when we’re off duty...?”</p><p>Aaron found himself smiling. “That’s different.”</p><p>“We could go out to dinner, maybe?”</p><p>“If by ‘out to dinner’ you mean ‘stay here where no one can point a gun at us’ then yeah, we can go out to dinner.”</p><p>Robert laughed. “Ok, fine. Takeaway it is.”</p><p>“Sounds good.” Aaron twisted his wrist to look at his watch. “I’ve got to go, or Adam will start yelling in my ear again.”</p><p>Robert tried to follow him, but Aaron put a hand on his chest to stop him in his tracks at the top of the stairs. He tilted his chin up to meet Robert’s lips.</p><p>“I’ll see you in the morning,” he murmured when they pulled back, and Robert nodded.</p><p>“Night.”</p><p>Aaron shut the front door behind him. He looked up at the window, where yellow light glowed from behind the curtains of Robert’s bedroom. Shoving his hands in his pockets, he tucked his chin into his neck to try and contain his smile, and all but bounced down the steps towards the car. </p>
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<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Morning, Aaron,” Sugden greeted him with a smile the next morning as he descended the concrete steps to meet him. “I hope you had a good night?”</p><p>“Yes, thank you, sir,” Aaron replied. He showed Robert to the car where Michael was waiting, engine already running. “Nice weather today, isn’t it?”<br/><br/>“It is,” Robert agreed. He turned so his back was facing Adam and Finn in the idling Rover, and winked, mouth curving into a sly smile.<br/><br/>Aaron kept his expression carefully neutral, closing the door behind Robert and heading around the front of the car. Once he’d settled himself, he stole a glance in the mirror at Robert in the back seat, only to find him already looking at him. Aaron shook his head and widened his eyes, which only made Robert’s grin bigger, and then dropped his gaze.<br/><br/>“Gemini on the move.”<br/><br/><em>“Copy.”</em><br/><br/>The cars moved off. Aaron didn’t dare look in the mirror again, no matter how intense the burning of eyes in the back of his head became. Instead he focused, eyes scanning the streets, periodically checking on the car behind them.<br/><br/>It was a bright day. The air felt heavy with a humidity that felt unpleasantly sticky on the skin. Aaron watched with amusement as a group of school kids headed down the street, sleeves rolled up to their elbows and top buttons of their shirts undone, matching miserable expressions on their faces. In fairness, Aaron would have the same look on his face if he had to go and spend the day in a stuffy classroom. <br/><br/>The day passed easily. Robert had meetings all morning, which left Aaron free to stand next to the air conditioning vents in the office and watch people going about their day. It was a testament to Robert that all his staff were back in the office considering what had happened here. What they saw in Robert, how he treated them, was clearly enough to retain their loyalty. And now Aaron actually thought about it, he could see it in the way he spoke to them. He thought back to how Robert had stood next to that young girl in the marketing suite a couple of weeks ago when Aaron had thought he’d lost him, pointing at the screen and speaking to her politely, respectfully.<br/><br/>What they saw in him was the opposite to how the media portrayed him. And Aaron had been just as guilty of believing in that hyped-up image of him. He thought back to their first meeting, remembering how defensive and prickly Robert had been, how close Aaron had come to quitting altogether. To say he was glad he’d stuck with him was a bit of an understatement now; all Aaron wanted to do was drag Robert into the nearest empty room and kiss him senseless.<br/><br/>Mid-afternoon, just after Robert had finished his third meeting of the day, he came to stand next to Aaron once everyone was out of earshot.<br/><br/>“Hello,” he said quietly. “Everything ok?”<br/><br/>“Fine, thank you, sir,” Aaron didn’t dare look at him. “Is there anything you need?”<br/><br/>“I’m done for the day, so whenever you’re ready…”<br/><br/>“Thank you, sir. The car will be five minutes.”<br/><br/>Aaron relayed the information down to Adam, and then waited for Robert to collect his belongings and followed him down to the lobby.<br/><br/>The heat smacked them square in the face as they left the coolness of the office. Robert shrugged off his jacket in the back seat of the car and loosened his tie. Aaron watched him do it, eyes fixated on the skin of Robert’s throat. He looked away sharply when he saw Robert’s knowing smile, clearing his throat and focusing steadfastly on the road ahead of them.<br/><br/>Robert followed him up to house, brazenly close behind him. Aaron waited for him to unlock the door, and then stepped inside first, moving up the stairs and throwing a “just a moment, please, sir”, over his shoulder.<br/><br/>His checks were done with a record speed; Aaron don’t even bother to close half the doors he opened. As soon as he was satisfied, he abandoned everything in favour of stalking back through the flat, over to where Robert was. He had come upstairs and was leaning against the doorway to the kitchen with a lazy smile on his face.<br/><br/>Aaron pushed Robert up against the doorframe with the weight of his own body, pressing their hips together and yanking him in for a kiss. He slid a hand around Robert’s neck, his thumb pressing into the patch of pale skin showing at the base of Robert’s throat, and felt the vibration of an exhale caught between a sigh and a moan under his fingers. His lips parted at the touch of Robert’s tongue, stomach squirming when he felt a hand slide low, coming to rest on his arse.<br/><br/>“Come over later,” Robert said into the space between their lips. “When you’ve finished at the station, I mean. I want to ask you about something.”<br/><br/>Aaron pulled back a little way to meets Robert’s eyes. “Should I be worried?”<br/><br/>“No,” Robert’s hands moved back up to rest on Aaron’s hipbones. “It’s a work thing, but I want to run it past you first before I tell the station.”<br/><br/>Aaron arched an eyebrow. “Right,” he said dubiously. “Now I am worried.”<br/><br/>“Don’t be,” Robert leaned in to rest their foreheads together. “It’s a good thing, I promise.”<br/><br/>Aaron nodded, and stroked the back of his index finger along the hint of stubble on Robert’s jaw. “Ok, then.”<br/><br/>Robert kissed him lightly once more, and then stood up and away. He dragged Aaron back in again before he could leave, his laugh smothered between them.<br/><br/>“Later,” Aaron grinned. “Just try and keep yourself out of trouble until then, ok?”<br/><br/>“No promises.”<br/><br/>Aaron made sure Robert shut the door firmly behind him, waiting for the sound of the lock to click before he headed down the stone steps to the car.<br/><br/></p><p>*****<br/><br/></p><p>The three of them filed into the station with varying degrees of relieved sighs at the welcome chill of the air conditioning that greeted them. Adam made them detour through the staff kitchen to raid the vending machine, and then they traipsed towards their desks to tackle the looming pile of paperwork waiting for them.<br/><br/>“Ah, you’re back,” a voice stopped them in their tracks. Simultaneously they turned, standing up straighter when they saw Sergeant Williams striding down the corridor towards them. “We’ve been waiting for you.”<br/><br/>“Ma’am,” they chorused. Adam hid his half-eaten chocolate bar behind his back.<br/><br/>“Change of plan,” she took a step back the way she’d come, beckoning them to follow. “Briefing about to start; everyone’s assembled. This way.”<br/><br/>They obeyed. Adam jammed the last of his chocolate into his mouth while her back was turned, stuffing the wrapper in his jacket pocket. They were the last into the briefing room, slinking over to three spare seats in the back as the sergeant took her place at the front.<br/><br/>“Thank you for being here today, everyone. We’ll keep this short as I know you all have important things to be getting on with. As you all know, we have not yet been able to establish a clear connection between the bullets pulled out of the wall on Friday to the owner of the firearm. We’ve had forensics, and even the K-9 unit out but without much luck. However, we’ve been taking the time to interview people with a close connection to Mr Sugden, and today, we interviewed his brother.”<br/><br/>Simultaneously, Adam and Aaron sat up in their seats. Adam nudged Aaron with a meaningful nod.<br/><br/>“Andy Sugden, Mr Sugden’s estranged brother, was good enough to come in to answer a few questions for us.” She took a stack of paper from her file and began handing them out. “Full transcripts will be sent to you all. For now, please have a look at this updated photograph of Andy and commit it to memory.”<br/><br/>Aaron leaned in close over the snapshot of the interview room, examining each detail of the man who had caused Robert so much aggravation. He was broad shouldered and muscular, almost overly so, biceps bulging out of his white T-shirt where had had his arms crossed over his chest. His brow was heavy, nose straight, jaw covered by a dark beard. He looked rather unbothered by where he was, leaning back in his chair, the picture of nonchalance.<br/><br/>Aaron’s lip curled. He hadn't known what he’d feel when finally faced with this man, but now he was here, Aaron was surprised by the red-hot anger that leeched through his veins. How could this man sit there, so casual, so calm, when he’d been putting his own brother through hell for weeks now?<br/><br/>“So that’s the guy,” Adam murmured.<br/><br/>“If you’d turn your attention to the screen here,” the sergeant continued, pressing a button on the side of the screen. “This is a small section of the interview.”<br/><br/>The screen was split into two, each showing a different camera angle. One showed an officer Aaron recognised from their department and the back of Andy Sugden’s head. The other showed the back of the officer, and the clear full view of Robert’s brother. Sarge tutted to herself, fiddling with the control on the monitor. The volume increased, catching the officer’s question.<br/><br/><em>"Where were you last Friday, at around half past two in the afternoon?"</em><br/><br/>Aaron heard the smugness on his voice when he replied, <em>"France."</em><br/><br/>“Shit,” Adam whispered. Aaron's stomach sunk, and he closed his eyes momentarily.<br/><br/><em>“Can you prove that?”</em><br/><br/><em>“Yeah,”</em> Andy nodded easily. <em>“Check my passport. I’ve got photos I took when I was there and all you can look at.”</em><br/><br/><em>“Did you travel with anyone else?”</em><br/><br/><em>“Look, mate,”</em> Andy said with a sardonic laugh that made Aaron’s teeth stand on edge. <em>“I don’t know what you're trying to get out of me, but I haven’t got anything to do with Robert being shot at. I didn’t want anything to do with him three years ago, and I don’t now. If you ask me, it’s a shame that whoever pointed that gun at him missed.”</em><br/><br/>The screen froze, and then went dark again. Sarge turned to the silent room, grim expression on her face. “His alibi checks out. There is no reason to suggest that he had anything to do with the events of last Friday.”<br/><br/>Aaron rubbed at his mouth, staring at the blank screen. “He’s lying, Ma’am,” he said loudly. “I know he is.”<br/><br/>“He’s got to be,” Finn agreed as the whole room swivelled to look at Aaron. “There’s no way he’s got nothing to do with this.”<br/><br/>“I don’t know.” Adam leaned back in his chair. “If his passport corroborates his story, then that’s a pretty watertight alibi, isn’t it? He wasn’t even in the same country as Sugden on Friday, let alone the same building. I reckon we’ve been barking up the wrong tree.”<br/><br/>“No,” Finn said firmly. “There’s got to be something we’re missing. If it wasn’t him directly, then he’s paying someone off.”<br/><br/>Aaron nodded. “He all but admitted that he wanted Robert hurt. We need to broaden our searches, investigate calls he’s made, people he’s met over the past few weeks.”<br/><br/>“Check his bank accounts too,” Finn chipped in. “See if any large sums of money have gone in or out.”<br/><br/>“Good call.” Aaron nodded as the Sarge held up a palm to stop them.<br/><br/>“At this stage, we still don’t have enough evidence to label Mr Sugden as a suspect.” Aaron opened his mouth to protest, but at the look on her face, thought better of it. “We’ll be keeping a close eye on his movements for the foreseeable future.”<br/><br/>“Who else could it be?” Aaron muttered.<br/><br/>“Could be anyone, mate,” Adam said. “Think about it. All those people Sugden’s father pissed off before he died. The mess he left the company in. The same mess that Sugden’s now trying to clear up. The money, the debt…there’s got to be loads of people out for him.”<br/><br/>Sarge gave them a pointed look, and they fell quiet. “Now,” she was saying, “our priority is pursuing avenues for other possible suspects. A copy of this interview will be taken to our client as a matter of urgency-“<br/><br/>“Why don’t I take it?” The words were out of Aaron's mouth before he could think about them. He cleared his throat, aware of Adam’s eyes on the side of his head. “I mean, I don’t mind. It might be better coming from me than from an officer he doesn’t know.”<br/><br/>The Sarge paused for a moment, eyes narrowing a fraction. “Ok. Escort the night team this evening and make your own way home when you’re finished.”<br/><br/>“Ma’am.”<br/><br/>“That’s all for now. Thank you everyone, have a good day.”<br/><br/>Chairs scraped back, and a low hum of chatter started as people began to file out of the room. A few odd looks were thrown Aaron’s way, but he ignored them, too busy seething in his seat.<br/><br/>“Right, come on,” Adam stood as well. He produced another chocolate bar from his pocket and unwrapped it, throwing a couple of squares in his mouth. “We’re almost done for the day. Let’s go back to the office, see if they need us for anything.”<br/><br/>Aaron paused a moment longer, just watching the photo of Andy sat in the interview room. If there wasn’t the risk of being thrown off the case, he’d track him down himself, grab him by the collar and play bad cop until he got the answers he needed.<br/><br/>“Oi,” Adam clapped him on the shoulder. “Glaring at him isn’t gonna get answers. Come on, let’s go.”<br/><br/>“Yeah.” Aaron relented, following Adam to the door.<br/><br/>“Why don’t we go for a pint tonight?” Adam shut the door behind them and set off down the hall. “When you’re done with Sugden, I mean. Take our minds off all this.”<br/><br/>“Can’t,” Finn said with a shake of his head. He pushed his glasses up his nose. “I’ve got something on already.”<br/><br/>“Yeah, mate, I’d better not. I don’t know how long this is going to take.” Aaron gave Adam an apologetic smile. His thoughts turned to Robert, sat alone in his flat waiting for him, and some of his anger dissipated, replaced with a curl of anticipation in his stomach. “Another time though, yeah?”<br/><br/>“Course.”<br/><br/>Adam headed off down the corridor, Finn on his tail. Aaron stood by himself for a moment, looking at the photo of Andy in his hands.<br/><br/><br/></p><p>*****<br/><br/><br/></p><p>Aaron knocked on the door to Robert’s flat. He adjusted his grip on the file tucked under his left arm, and then fixed a smile on his face as he heard locks clicking and chains sliding across the other side of the door.<br/><br/>“Hey,” he said when the door opened, stepping past Robert and heading up the stairs to the kitchen. “Sorry I’m a bit late, we had a surprise briefing. I’ve bought a file I need you to look at. I would’ve stopped and picked up some beers, too, but think that lot in the car outside would’ve gotten a bit suspicious, considering I told them this was a work thing. I mean, it is kind of a work thing but…” Aaron trailed off, frowning when he realised Robert hadn’t said anything yet. He’d just followed Aaron up the stairs and gone into the living room.<br/><br/>He stilled, listening hard. An unnerving quiet met his ears. Not even the hum of the tv or radio punctuated the silence.<br/><br/>Abandoning the file on the countertop he crept back through towards the stairs, edging close to the wall, one hand on his gun. He’d left his radio at home as he was technically coming here off duty, but he’d reattached his gun to the belt of his jeans as an afterthought. Now he was thankful he had.<br/><br/>The space by the door was clear. Aaron hid around the corner closest to the living room. Slowly he nudged forward until he could peer around the wall into the room. He frowned, scanning the living room from top to bottom, but found no intruder, just Robert, sat on the sofa with his head bent. He released a slow breath, and then stepped lightly into the room.<br/><br/>“Rob?” he asked quietly. Robert made no movement to show he’d heard him. “You ok?”<br/><br/>He let go of his gun, striding over to where Robert sat and dropping to his knees in front of him. He ran his eyes over his frame, feeling only the barest relief when he could find no blood or visible injury. Leaning forward, he peered under the hair hanging over Robert’s forehead to try and meet his eyes. His face was devoid of all colour, lips pursed in a tight line.<br/><br/>“Right, you're freaking me out,” he told him. “What’s happened? Has someone been here? Should I call for backup?” He looked to the window, wondering if he could yell down to the guys in the car for help.<br/><br/>“No, no,” Robert finally spoke, shaking his head minutely. “It’s nothing like that. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.”<br/><br/>“But it’s something,” Aaron rested a hand on Robert’s knee, rubbing a thumb on the material of his navy trousers. “What is it?”<br/><br/>He saw Robert close his eyes, saw his throat bob as he swallowed. “I, er,” he croaked. “I got out of the shower earlier, to find this on my doormat.” Robert reached across the coffee table in front of them, sliding a small white envelope along the wooden surface.<br/><br/>“Can you open it for me?” Aaron asked. The flicker of confusion on Robert’s face disappeared when he continued with, “fingerprints.”<br/><br/>“Right, sorry.” Robert reached for the envelope. He pulled out the piece of paper inside and laid it out flat on the table.<br/><br/>Aaron’s breath caught. His fingers curled around Robert’s knee as the man folded in on himself again. inside the envelope was a single sheet of paper. An image of Robert had been cut out of a newspaper and stuck in the middle of it. His eyes had been scratched out, and underneath the photo, someone had written <em>tick tock</em> in thick, black marker pen.<br/><br/>“Shit,” he breathed. He leaned over the photo, eyeing the horizontal scratches over the image of Robert’s face. <em>“Shit.”<br/></em><br/>“I don’t know who left it,” Robert said. “I looked out of the window, but no one was there.”<br/><br/>“What time did you find it?”<br/><br/>“I don’t know...about half past six? I should have called you, I’m sorry, I didn’t think.”<br/><br/>“It’s ok,” Aaron murmured. His eyes were fixed to the table, reading those words over and over. <em>Tick tock</em>. “I need to take this down to the guys so they can get it to the station. Stay put, I won’t be a minute.”<br/><br/>“No,” Robert shook his head. He stretched out a hand, resting it on Aaron’s shoulder to prevent him from leaving. “Please, I can’t deal with a huge investigation right now.”<br/><br/>“Robert,” Aaron protested. “I need to get this looked at. The sooner we can get the fingerprints-“<br/><br/>“In the morning,” Robert looked over at him, eyes wide and earnest. “Please. I don’t want to think about it. All I’ve wanted to do all day is spend time with you, just, away from work, away from this mess. Just us.”<br/><br/>Aaron sighed. “I shouldn’t. I need to go, I need to sort this.”<br/><br/>He made to stand again, but Robert grabbed hold of his arm, pulling him back. He turned Aaron towards him, resting their foreheads together and letting his eyes slip closed. “Aaron, please. I’m begging you. Just leave it. I’m safe, aren’t I? I’m safe here with you. No one can get me in here. Tomorrow, I’ll do whatever you want to do, jump through a hundred hoops, answer a thousand questions, if that’s what you need. But you have to give me this, first. This evening, just the two of us.”<br/><br/>Aaron rolled his lips into his mouth, shaking his head minutely. “I don’t bargain with clients,” he murmured. “I need to go.”<br/><br/>Robert shifted forwards so he sat right on the edge of the sofa. He curled a hand around the back of Aaron’s neck and leaning in, nose nudging his cheek.<br/> <br/>Aaron closed his eyes against the feeling of Robert's lips just brushing across his jawline. “I can hear you thinking. Stop it.”<br/><br/>“You’re trying to distract me,” Aaron said.<br/><br/>“Ah,” Roberts breath tickled over his skin as he pressed a kiss to Aaron’s neck, lingering there. “It’s working, though, isn’t it?”<br/><br/>“It’s called playing dirty.”<br/><br/>“Is it?”<br/><br/>"Yes." Aaron couldn’t help himself; he turned his chin to press their lips together. He leaned into him, running his palms along Roberts trousers from his knees to the tops of his thighs. His thumb brushed his zipper, and he heard Robert’s breath hitch.<br/><br/>“What do you want?” he asked him.<br/><br/>“Anything,” Robert said. Aaron watched him swallow. “Whatever you want.”<br/><br/>Keeping his eye, Aaron moved his palm across, pressing it lightly to the front of Robert’s trousers. Roberts lips parted, his eyes going dark. “This?”<br/><br/>Robert nodded quickly. “I can…if you prefer?”<br/><br/>Aaron smiled. “Maybe another time. I want to do this for you.”<br/><br/>Robert’s tongue flicked out to wet his bottom lip. “Yeah. Yeah, ok.”<br/><br/>Aaron leaned up for one more kiss, and then shifted between Robert’s knees, getting comfortable. His fingers fumbled with the buttons of Robert’s shirt, and when he’d undone them halfway down, he leaned forward to press wet, open mouthed kisses to his skin. He felt Robert’s chest moving up and down, breaths coming quicker as he mouthed down towards his belly button. He stroked the soft skin above his waistband, and then looked up. “Ok?”<br/><br/>Robert nodded. He moved a hand up to stroke a surprisingly tender thumb across Aaron’s cheekbone.<br/><br/>Aaron flicked the button of his trousers open, undid the zipper slowly. Once they were open, he bent forward, exhaling a hot breath onto the material of his boxers. Robert’s hips shifted, and Aaron smiled, running his tongue over it and leaving a damp stripe.<br/><br/>“Aaron,” Robert said on an exhale.<br/><br/>Aaron took his time, using his hand until Robert was rock hard in his boxers, breathing heavily above him. Then he licked his palm and pull Robert’s boxers down, wrapping his fingers around him. He used his thumb to stroke the vein on the underside and moved his hand up and down, teasing.<br/><br/>“You-“ Robert said, cutting himself off.<br/><br/>Aaron waited until he had Roberts full attention again, and then dipped his head to run his tongue over the head, smiling as Robert’s hips twitched forward. He took pity on him, closing his mouth over him and hollowing his cheeks. Pressing his tongue to the underside, he watched Robert’s eyes slip shut, his head tilted back, and then began moving his hand and mouth together. Aaron’s own eyes closed, and he focused on the taste of him, the slide of him in and out of his mouth.<br/><br/>He shifted his own hips forward, desperate for some friction, some relief. The sounds Robert was making pushed him on, and what felt like only moments later Robert was pushing his fingers into the short strands of Aaron’s hair.<br/><br/>“Aaron,” he said, warning.<br/><br/>All it took was Aaron flicking his tongue into Robert’s slit, fingers brushing over his balls and Robert came with a jerk and a groan. Aaron took all of him, swallowing past the bitterness, and then pulled off slowly, lips wet.<br/><br/>He let himself be pulled up, knees numb, only to be pushed into the cushions as Robert kissed him. Aaron tucked Robert back into his boxers, hand brushing against the front of his own jeans with a wince.<br/><br/>"Let me..." Robert said, moving his hand between them down to Aaron’s jeans. He slid his hand inside and palmed him slowly, deliberately, until he was right on the edge. Robert twisted his wrist just right, pushing Aaron over the edge. He came, pulsing into his Robert’s hand.<br/><br/>Aaron slumped back into the cushions, chest heaving. The sofa shifted as Robert get up next to him, and when he came back, he pulled Aaron in to lean against him, pressing a kiss to his temple.<br/><br/>They sat in silence for a moment. Gradually, the outside world came back to Aaron. The night team outside, the note on the table. He felt as if they were being dragged back into the real world where they had responsibilities.<br/><br/>Through the fading haze of pleasure, a thought passed into his head. “What were you going to ask me?” Aaron said. His words felt as if they were trickling out his mouth, as slow and heavy as his limbs felt.<br/><br/>He felt Robert's shoulder shift, heard him gently clear his throat. “What?”<br/><br/>“Earlier,” he said. “You said you had something to ask me before you told the station.”<br/><br/>“Oh, yeah,” Aaron thought he could hear a smile behind Robert's words. “I’ve been invited to attend a conference this weekend.”<br/><br/>Aaron opened one eye, tilting his head to look at him. Robert was indeed smiling, far too much for such boring news. “That’s...great? I’ll tell the team-“</p><p>“Wait, I haven’t finished. I’ve been invited to a conference….in Edinburgh.”<br/><br/>“Edinburgh?” Aaron opened the other eye. “As in Scotland?”<br/><br/>“Yep.”<br/><br/>Aaron sat up, swivelling his body to look at Robert. Confusingly, he was still smiling. “And this is good news how? Five days to arrange flights, hotels, itineraries, passports, not to mention transporting the whole team up there-“<br/><br/>“Slow down,” he held a hand up, stopping Aaron in his tracks. “Think about it. It could just be you and me. A weekend away, the two of us. Away from the city, away from threatening letters…” his eyes darted to the coffee table where the envelope still sat.<br/><br/>For a moment, Aaron could see it. What better way to get away from it all than to escape to a different country altogether? Just he and Robert, together in a hotel room, where they could spend time together pretending that there wasn’t a very real threat to Robert's life looming over their heads. They could just be them, spend the weekend tangled up together in the sheets…<br/><br/>But it had to be impossible. Trying to get permission for just one person to accompany Robert when he needed a whole team would surely be a no-go. The logistics would just be a nightmare.<br/><br/>“As much as I love the sound of that, I’m not sure I can convince Sarge to let you just and I go without any backup.”<br/><br/>“I thought you might say that. What if I spoke to her?”<br/><br/>Aaron snorted. “Good luck with that.”<br/><br/>Robert sat up, too. “But you would want to?”<br/><br/>“Of course I would. It would be great, wouldn’t it? You and me, away from all this? I’d pack today if I knew we could get away with it.”<br/><br/>Robert wrapped his fingers around the back of Aaron’s neck, pulling him in to kiss him soundly. “Then we will. I’ll make it happen.”<br/><br/>“Yeah? I’d like to see you try.”<br/><br/>Robert grinned, all teeth, and kissed him again.<br/><br/>“Are you going to be ok here tonight?” Aaron said when they’d pulled back again. He stroked a thumb over Roberts eyebrow.<br/><br/>“Yeah,” Robert nodded. “I’ll be fine. The guys are outside, and you’ll be here in the morning, won’t you?”<br/><br/>“Course.” It felt like enormous effort to pull himself off the sofa, but Aaron managed it, straightening his t-shirt and adjusting his jeans. “You’ve got my number if you need me.”<br/><br/>“I know.”<br/><br/>Aaron looked down at the letter still lying there. “Can you put that in a plastic bag for me?”<br/><br/>Robert stood, heading to his study and coming back with a clear plastic wallet. He dropped the letter into it and folded over the top. Aaron tried to smile reassuringly.<br/><br/>“Oh, listen,” he said when they were downstairs, one hand on the door handle. “There’s a file in the kitchen for you. Read it when you think you can.”<br/><br/>“What’s it about?” Robert frowned.<br/><br/>Aaron reached up, placing his palm on Robert cheek and running his thumb across the thin skin under his eye. “It’s Andy. Just call if you need me, ok?”<br/><br/>‘Yeah. And you leave Scotland to me. We’re going.”<br/><br/>Aaron rolled his eyes. “If you say so.”</p><p>He stole a final, lingering kiss, and then let himself out.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“I can’t believe you made this happen. Honestly, I don’t know how you managed to convince them that this would be ok.”</p><p>Robert smiled smugly from behind his sunglasses. “What can I say? I have a way with people.”</p><p>Aaron stifled a yawn behind his hand. “Yeah, but still, I can’t imagine what you had to say to Sarge to win her over.”</p><p>It was early, so early that sun was still rising sleepily on the horizon, casting an orange glow over the airport lounge. People sat around them, talking quietly to one another and looking about as tired as Aaron felt. He and Robert had checked in, got their boarding passes, and found a corner as far away from the crowds as they could get. On the seat between them sat two coffee cups and two brown paper bags, one with a bacon sandwich for Aaron, the other with a croissant for Robert.</p><p>“I just told them the truth,” Robert said, crossing one leg over the other and pushing his sunglasses further up his nose. "I said that it was going to be an informal meeting, and that I didn’t want to draw attention to myself by having a huge team following me around.”</p><p>Aaron sipped at his coffee, wincing as it scalded his tongue. “You don’t mind me following you around, then?”</p><p>The corners of Robert’s mouth lifted. “Not really, no.”</p><p>Aaron rolled his eyes. He stretched his arms in front of him in an attempt to wake himself up. “I’m impressed you managed it, though. Especially after that letter.”</p><p>“It wasn’t easy, trust me. Any more news on that?”</p><p>Aaron shook his head. “Fingerprints came back clean, just like the others did.”</p><p>Robert's lips thinned. “Still at a dead end, then.”</p><p>“We’re trying,” Aaron said. He glanced around them and then reached out to squeeze Roberts forearm briefly. “Let’s not talk about it now, yeah?”</p><p>“You’re right.” Robert tore off end of his pastry and chewed it slowly. “God, imagine if the station had insisted I bring Finn with me instead of you. Or Adam.”</p><p>Aaron snorted. He bit into his bacon sandwich and wiped his greasy fingers on a napkin. “Don’t think either of them would be too happy about that.”</p><p>“Neither would I. This just makes it look like you’re the only one that can put up with me. Just act like it’s a chore and no one will be any the wiser.”</p><p>“<em>Act</em> like it’s a chore?” Aaron repeated, grinning, and moved his sandwich out of the way as Robert swiped at his arm.</p><p>“Git.” Robert pushed his sunglasses up onto his head. The bags under his eyes were the only indication that he was suffering from the early morning start, other than that, he seemed to be eager to get away. Aaron didn’t blame him; getting out of the city could only be a good thing.</p><p>They headed for their gate as soon as their flight was called. Robert kept his dark glasses on, and Aaron stayed carefully distant from him, close enough to reach if he needed to, far enough away to avoid drawing attention. With their suits and Robert’s briefcase, they didn’t appear to be anything more than businessmen travelling together. Aaron let himself relax a little when they were up in the air, content to drift away in his own head while Robert flicked through the in-flight magazine.</p><p>Edinburgh was sunny when they landed, though chillier than London. When they were let off the plane, Aaron collected the bags and let Robert roam around duty-free for a while, keeping an eye on him from outside the shop. Robert came back after a while, heavy plastic bag at his side and a satisfied look on his face. Aaron didn’t dare ask, steering him towards the taxi rank instead.</p><p>The hotel was grander than anywhere Aaron had stepped foot in before, and he would bet any amount of money that Robert had chosen it. The ceilings were high and domed, bright lights reflecting off the white marble floors. The staff were all dressed identically in white and burgundy, smiling faces greeting them as they walked through the revolving entrance doors. Aaron felt distinctly out of place, and was glad to keep quiet, hovering next to Robert’s shoulder while he checked them in.</p><p>“I asked for adjoining rooms,” Robert said in the lift to the third floor. “Told them it’s because I wanted you nearby. In case I needed you.”</p><p>“Uh huh,” Aaron said, lifting an eyebrow. “And what are the chances of that?”</p><p>“Ah,” Robert said. He slid an arm around Aaron’s waist. “You never know.”</p><p>They separated when the lift doors opened. Out of habit, Aaron stepped out first, checking their surroundings. He followed the numbers on the doors, leading the way down to the end of the white painted corridor. It smelt faintly citrusy, undercut by the sharp smell of new carpets.</p><p>“I’ve got to do some work before the meeting tomorrow,” Robert said, his key card poised in one hand. “You can come and sit in with me, if you like?”</p><p>Aaron snorted. “No thanks, I’ll make myself at home next door. Knock if you need anything though, yeah?”</p><p>“I will.”</p><p>Aaron swiped his key card and let himself into his room. The beige carpet was soft underfoot, muffling his footsteps. He passed a gleaming bathroom and turned a corner to find a huge bed with crisp, white sheets. could feel the early start catching up with him and had to remind himself he was still technically on shift to resist burrowing under the covers.</p><p>He chucked his bag onto it instead, settling himself at the small round table and chairs by the window. He switched the tv on, turning it to some daytime game show and setting the volume to low. Despite trying to watch it, his attention kept wandering to Robert’s presence in the next room. He was aware of every tread of footsteps, every ping of an incoming message.</p><p>It was as if they were playing some sort of strange game; they were acting nothing more than colleagues, and yet Aaron could feel the weight of the air between them, the pull of something more. It thrummed in his veins, making him restless in his seat.</p><p>Two hours passed before a short knock on the adjoining door came. Aaron muted the tv and got to his feet.</p><p>Robert grinned when he opened the door. He’d changed out of his outfit into jeans and a black leather jacket. “I’m done with work. Let’s go out.”</p><p>Aaron’s brain tripped over itself. “Out?” he repeated. “Seriously? No.”</p><p>“Oh, come on,” Robert said. He shoved his hand into the pocket of his jacket, taking out his phone. “I don’t want the entire weekend to be about work. Look,” he held his phone up to Aaron’s face, “there’s loads to do. We could go for walk, see the sights…?”</p><p>“Nope,” Aaron shook his head. “I don’t have any sort of backup; I can’t risk anything happening while it’s just you and me.”</p><p>“That’s the point, though, isn’t it?” Robert said. He put his phone away again. “It’s just you and me. I’m not suggesting we do anything risky; I just want to go and see some of the city. Think about it, there’ll be so many people that no one will notice us. We’ll be hiding in plain sight.”</p><p>It didn’t sit well with Aaron at all. He’d hoped they’d stay in the hotel room, just the two of them together. One more look at Robert’s imploring expression, though, and he caved. “Fine. Two hours, max. Let me get changed and we’ll go.” He shut the door on Robert’s smiling face, and went to fetch his bag.</p><p>Fifteen minutes later, after Aaron had showered and changed into jeans and t-shirt, they were on their way into St. Andrews square. It seemed to be mostly tourists on the streets around them, cameras and maps in hand. Robert was oblivious to Aaron’s tension, reading aloud as he scrolled through his phone.</p><p>“The museum’s nearby,” he said, “the palace, as well.”</p><p>“Great,” Aaron replied vaguely. Robert’s voice was background noise to him; he was too busy checking their surroundings. A couple of times people did double-takes, their eyes lingering on Robert a little too long for Aaron’s liking. He frowned at them, staring back until they dropped their gazes.</p><p>“Aaron,” Robert caught his attention. He took Aaron’s arm, leading him to the side of the pavement. “I can see them looking, too. Just ignore it.”</p><p>“People are recognising you,” Aaron told him. He eyed a man in sunglasses that walked a little too close to them. “I told you we should have stayed inside.”</p><p>Robert took a step towards him. “Listen. No one knows I’m here, and if they do find out, we’ll be long gone before they catch up with us. I know you’re worried, but I promise we’ll be ok.”</p><p>“You can’t promise that,” Aaron said.</p><p>“Fine,” Robert conceded. “Then I know you’ll do whatever it takes to make sure we’re ok.”</p><p>Aaron opened his mouth to reel off the many things that could go wrong, but they caught in his throat when he looked up at Robert. This was supposed to be a break for them both, he thought, and he was going to ruin it if he kept being so paranoid. “You’re right.”</p><p>Robert held out his hand. Aaron stared at it.</p><p>Robert raised his eyebrows. “You’ll put your life at risk for me, but you won’t hold my hand?”</p><p>“Give it a rest,” Aaron grumbled, slapping his palm into Roberts. Robert winked, and lead him down the street.</p><p>They came to a park, a wide expanse of grass bordered by a stone path. There were benches dotted around the perimeter, mostly occupied by families out enjoying the good weather. Picnic blankets were spread out under the shade of leafy green trees, couples and groups of friends reclining on them despite the slight chill in the breeze.</p><p>They found an empty bench halfway around. Robert sat close, the length of his thigh pressing against Aaron’s, their hands still clasped together. Aaron watched the way Robert’s fingers twined between his own and thought, if this is what Robert had meant by being normal, then he was all for it.</p><p>“How’s your mum doing?” Robert asked. His thumb rubbed idly over the thin skin of Aaron’s wrist.</p><p>“No news yet,” Aaron replied. “Any day now, though. I bet Paddy’s worrying around her and driving her mad.”</p><p>“You’ll have take a few days off to go and see her.”</p><p>“I will.” He watched Robert’s thumb move on his skin. “You could come with me. Meet them.”</p><p>“Meet the family?” Robert said, scandalised. “Mr Dingle, you’ll be asking for my hand in marriage next.”</p><p>“Yeah, yeah, all right,” Aaron said, shoving Robert’s shoulder with his own. A hot flush crept up the back of his neck. He tried to shake his fingers free.</p><p>Robert held on tighter. “I’m joking,” he said. “I’d love to.”</p><p>Aaron cleared his throat, embarrassment burning in his cheeks. “Well, you know. That’s only if you’ve not got any meetings, of course.”</p><p>“Whenever it is, I can reschedule. It’s fairly quiet next week; just a press conference on Tuesday. It’s not a big thing; there won’t be many people there. We could do something else next weekend, if you like. Book another hotel, maybe?”</p><p>“Yeah,” Aaron said gruffly. “Sounds all right to me.”</p><p>“I’ll have a look when we get back to the rooms, then.” Robert lifted their linked fingers to press a kiss to the back of Aaron’s hand. Another warmth bloomed in Aaron's chest, softer this time, fonder.</p><p>After a while they got up, wandering through the park towards a row of shops. Robert found his way to a little boutique, dragging a grumbling Aaron inside.</p><p>“I thought you wanted to be all cultural,” he said, trailing after Robert round the many different stands of identical white bottles. “Not just go shopping.”</p><p>Robert ignored him and paid for a bottle of shower gel that cost so much it made Aaron’s eyes water. He didn’t stop there, either, making a beeline for a souvenir shop that had toy bagpipes hanging over the front door.</p><p>“Wait here,” he said. “I’m going to buy you a present.”</p><p>Aaron made a face at the neon flashing lights in the window. “Uh, no thanks.”</p><p>“Back in a sec, keep yourself busy.” Robert disappeared inside, leaving Aaron standing on the pavement. Instinct told him to follow, to keep close, but he found he didn’t want to spoil his fun.</p><p>Robert reappeared a few minutes later, something clutched in his right hand. “Here.”</p><p>Aaron opened his palm and Robert dropped something small and hard into it. It was a plastic keyring, bright red in colour, with the words I HEART EDINBURGH in fluorescent yellow lettering.</p><p>“Oh, my god,” he said. “What the hell is that?”</p><p>Robert wrapped his arm around Aaron’s shoulders, laughing. “Isn’t it great?”</p><p>“Take it back.”</p><p>“You’re welcome.” Robert pressed a kiss to Aaron’s temple and began walking them down the street. “Right, come on. Late lunch?”</p><p>“Oh no, you’ve had your fun. We’re going back to the hotel. We’ll order room service.”</p><p>“Spoilsport,” Robert said. He nuzzled close to Aaron’s ear again, breath hot on Aaron’s cheek. “Fine. Back to the room it is, then.”</p><p>Aaron’s heart gave a hard thump. Out of Robert’s sight, he curled his fingers around the keyring, holding it tight in his palm.</p><p> </p><p>*****</p><p> </p><p>“You know, when we met, I’d never have thought you’d be like this.”</p><p>“Like what?” Robert said from where he reclined on the bed. He was watching Aaron walk around his room, checking the locks on the windows.</p><p>Aaron searched for the right words. “Laid-back, I guess.” He shook the latch on the window and then let go. “You seemed so serious.”</p><p>“Wouldn’t you be? If you had a business to keep afloat and people dropping letters with your face scratched out through your door?”</p><p>“Of course, I would,” Aaron said. He went to sit on the edge of the bed by Robert’s hip. “I just meant that it’s nice, you know, seeing you a bit more relaxed.”</p><p>Robert shrugged, fiddling with the edge of the duvet cover. “It’s nice to be out of London. I haven’t had a holiday since I took over the office.”</p><p>“You can’t even call this a holiday; you’re still working.”</p><p>“You know what I mean.” Robert reached past Aaron for the room service menu on the side table. “I’m starving. What do you want?”</p><p>“You choose.” Aaron stood from the bed, heading through to his own room. He unclipped his gun from his belt and put it on his bed, followed by his mobile. He turned to leave, and then stopped. He picked them both up again, taking them through and putting them on Robert’s bedside table.</p><p>“You’re jumpy,” Robert observed as he put the hotel phone down. “Reckon you’re the one who needs to relax. Drink? I bought loads in duty free.”</p><p>“No, thanks,” Aaron said. He shoved his hands into his pockets, sheepish. “Sorry. I know I’m being paranoid.”</p><p>Robert snorted. “Welcome to my world.” He chucked the menu aside and got to his knees, shuffling to the edge of the bed. “Come here,” he beckoned.</p><p>Aaron went willingly, looping his arms around Robert’s neck. Robert caught his lips with his own, kissing him sweetly. His hands ran down Aaron’s sides, coming to rest on the skin above his waistband.</p><p>He leaned backward without letting go of Aaron so they fell into a heap on the bed. Robert bent his legs at the knees, cradling Aaron between them. Aaron rested a gentle hand on his throat, angling his head to kiss him properly. Robert’s hands were everywhere, yanking Aaron’s t-shirt up and stroking over his back, then sliding down, just dipping under the top of Aaron’s jeans, guiding his hips down. Aaron gasped into his mouth; the pit of his stomach tightening. He propped himself on one hand and used the other to fiddle with the buttons on Robert’s blue shirt.</p><p>They parted just long enough for Robert to get Aaron’s shirt over his head. It got caught on his elbow and he got stuck, having to sit up to take it off. When he leaned down again it was to swallow Robert’s laugh through his own smile. The laughter died when Aaron moved a hand to the front of Robert’s trousers. He waited for Robert’s nod, and then flicked the button open, dragging the zip down.</p><p>There was a sharp knock at the door. Aaron froze. He scrambled away from Robert like he’d been burned and snatched his gun from the table. Keeping low, he headed for the door.</p><p>“Aaron,” Robert said. He came to stand beside him, resting a cautious hand between Aaron’s shoulder blades. “It’s the food. Relax.”</p><p>Aaron blinked, glancing at Robert and then back at the door. He straightened, releasing a shaky breath past the pounding of his heart. “Right. Course it is. Sorry.”</p><p>“S’all right,” Robert stroked his hand down to the base of Aaron’s spine. “Go through to the other room, yeah? I’ll deal with it.”</p><p>Aaron nodded. As he walked away, he heard the pleasantness in Robert’s voice when he opened the door, the polite replies of the staff member who had bought them their food. There was the thud of plates being set down on the table, and then retreating footsteps. The door snicked shut, and Aaron put his gun down, staring at it.</p><p>Robert appeared around the doorway. He pressed Aaron up against the wall, hands on the bare skin of his waist. “Forget about the food,” he said.</p><p>Aaron kissed him back, a little hesitantly at first. How quickly he’d reached for his gun at the slightest thought that someone had found them had startled him. The knowledge that he’d do just about anything to keep Robert safe both scared him and made something fierce and wanting build inside him. Heat curled in his chest, growing brighter each time Robert kissed him. It spread through Aaron’s veins to his fingertips, and he gripped Robert closer to him, as hard as he could without it hurting. Robert responded, moving one thigh between Aaron’s.</p><p>“Do you want to?” Robert said in a rush. He drew back, pupils dilated and lips kissed red.</p><p>“Yeah,” Aaron said on an exhale. He wet his bottom lip with his tongue. “I…I don’t have anything, though.”</p><p>“I do,” Robert said, moving his lips across Aaron’s jawbone. “In my bag. Stay here.”</p><p>“Wait,” Aaron said as Robert disappeared into his own room. “Were you planning this?”</p><p>“Not planning,” Robert said as he came back. He threw two items on the bed and reached for Aaron again. “Just hoping, I suppose.”</p><p>Aaron bit the inside of his bottom lip at Robert’s expression. He threaded his fingers into the hair at the back of Robert’s head, and pulled him down.</p><p>They collapsed onto Aaron’s bed. Aaron undid his jeans, wriggling out of them as Robert did the same. Aaron rolled, nudging Robert over so he straddled his lap. Robert tilted his head back into the pillows and Aaron leaned over him, latching his lips onto his neck, sucking gently at the spot just below the dip of his throat, teasing the skin until it was flushed dark in colour. He sealed it with a kiss, and then drew back when he felt Robert’s hand on the front of his boxers.</p><p>“God,” he heard himself say, swallowing thickly. His breath caught when Robert’s fingers tickling across the line of hair above his waistband and then dipped inside, hot fingers closing around him.</p><p>Their last pieces of clothing were shucked off, and then it was just them, skin on skin. Robert’s fingers trailed over the small of his back and didn’t stop. Aaron sat back meet his eyes.</p><p>“Sorry,” Robert said, hushed. “Do you not want-“</p><p>“No, I do.” Aaron kissed him soundly. “I do.” He reached for the bottle on the mattress next to him, placing it in Robert’s hand. “Come on, then,’ he murmured.</p><p>It had been a while; Aaron winced at the initial sting. Robert saw it on his face and slowed, murmuring to him. Aaron forced himself to relax his muscles and breathe through it. Then, when he was ready, he dislodged Robert’s fingers and knelt up.</p><p>He’d forgotten how good it was when the discomfort subsided. When he was fully seated, he tipped his head back, breath leaving him in sharp pants. Robert’s fingers dug into his thighs, hard enough that Aaron knew he’d leave bruises. He reached up to cup the side of Aaron’s neck, guiding him down to kiss him, tongue slipping into his mouth.</p><p>Aaron’s body responded to him like they were old, familiar lovers; every touch, every kiss was like a memory being rediscovered. When Aaron’s rhythm faltered, Robert took over. He sat up, holding Aaron to him as they rolled again so he was cradled between Aaron’s thighs. The change in angle shifted him deeper into Aaron as he began deep, rolling thrusts. Aaron cried out, grabbing at his shoulders for something to hold onto, and Robert’s hand moved to his thigh, pushing it up towards his chest.</p><p>Heat pooled low, quickly, far too soon. Aaron snaked a hand down between them to stroke himself. Robert batted it away to do it himself, so Aaron grabbed at the sheets instead, twisting them in his fingers. It built and built inside him, outside of his control, and then he tipped over the edge, blinding pleasure shooting through his veins. He felt Robert go still on top of him, and then he slumped down onto Aaron, breathing quick and heavy in his ear. Aaron’s heart thundered in his ribcage and he lifted a hand to stroke up and down Robert’s back.</p><p>Lips pressed to Aaron’s cheek, and he turned his head for the lazy kiss Robert offered him. He felt Robert’s mouth curve against his own. Robert withdrew gently, settling into the sheets next to him. Aaron watched the green of his eyes shining in the low light of the room. He touched the flush on Robert’s cheekbones with his forefinger, tracing over the shell of his ear.</p><p>“Okay?” Robert said quietly, breaking the silence between them.</p><p>Aaron nodded. He shuffled closer to Robert, resting his head on the same pillow, letting his eyes close. Robert’s hand rested on the base of Aaron’s spine, a warm, gentle presence keeping him close.</p><p>Gradually, the thump of Aaron’s heartbeat in his ears receded, his breath slowing so he was breathing in time to the rise and fall of Robert’s chest. They stayed that way, sharing each other’s air.</p><p>After a while Aaron cracked his eyes open. Robert’s lips were slightly parted, his hair mussed and a little damp around the edges. Aaron’s heart squeezed. He swallowed heavily, knowing without any further doubt that he was in way, way over his head here. Robert exhaled and opened one eye to smile lazily at him, and Aaron pulled him as close as he could, lips pressed to his neck in a perpetual kiss.</p>
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<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The sun shone bright over the city, smiling down on Aaron as he made his way up the stone stairs on Monday morning. He rang the doorbell, and then stepped back, tilting his face towards the pleasant warmth.</p><p>He’d risen early, wide awake at the sun peeking through the gap in his curtains. He would’ve given anything to wake up next to Robert like he had done in the hotel, all sleep soft and warm, legs and arms wound round each other, lips ghosting over skin…but no, it had just been the rumble of buses and cars outside his bedroom window for company.</p><p>The sound of the front door opening made his heart leap in his chest. He returned Robert’s smile, careful to keep his back to the cars behind him, lest they see him grinning like a lovesick idiot.</p><p>“Hey,” he said. “All right?”</p><p>“Hi,” Robert replied. On the surface his smile was normal and polite, but Aaron could see the sweet, secret thing hiding behind it. He moved just so that his arm brushed against Robert’s as he led the way to the cars.</p><p>Keeping his eyes to himself throughout the day proved to be rather difficult. Whenever Robert was in Aaron’s eyeline he found himself staring, mind drifting away to the last couple of days. Luckily for him, no one seemed to notice his wandering eyes; it was his job to watch Robert, after all. Only Aaron could feel the itch under his skin whenever he looked at him. Only he could hear the echo of Robert’s soft gasps and moans in his ears, feel the ghost of his breath in his skin. And each time Robert met his eyes, glancing over his shoulder at him as they walked down the corridor, smirking at him over the lid of his coffee cup with promises in his eyes, Aaron felt his stomach flip over itself.</p><p>By the time they were headed back to the residence in the early evening, Aaron could barely think straight. He shifted one way and then the other, drumming his fingertips on his knee, willing the car to go faster and not daring to look at the man in the back seat.</p><p>They walked normally up the steps, Aaron leading the way. They paused at the door, and Aaron jumped as Robert flattened himself to his back, reaching around him to fit his key in the lock. He felt a hand snake around his waist, settling low on his stomach.</p><p>Aaron pushed through the door as soon as the lock clicked open and closed it quickly behind them. “Watch it, Adam’s only over there-“</p><p>Before he could finish he was yanked in. He parted his lips automatically, tilting his chin up and letting Robert kiss the smile from his face. His kisses were hot, needy, telling Aaron that he’d not been alone in craving this all day. Robert’s free arm wrapped around his waist, pulling them tightly together and flicking his tongue over Aaron’s bottom lip. Aaron grinned around his lips, sliding a hand around Robert’s neck to thread his fingers through the fine strands of his hair.</p><p>Robert hummed, and Aaron felt it vibrate in his chest. “God,” Robert breathed, pushing up the back of his jacket. “Do you know how many times I nearly dragged you off to the bathrooms today so I could do this?”</p><p>Aaron smiled against Robert’s mouth. “That would have raised some eyebrows.”</p><p>“Would have been worth it,” Robert said breathlessly. He jerked his head towards the window. “Stay. Tell that lot outside to go.”</p><p>“I can’t,” Aaron replied, even as his fingers crept up Robert’s white shirt and began loosening the knot of his tie. “I should come back later. They might get suspicious.”</p><p>“Does it look like I care?” Robert pulled Aaron’s shirt out of the waistband of his trousers. “Come on,” he coaxed, making Aaron’s heart stutter in his chest. “They won’t think anything of it. Tell them we’re looking at security stuff for the press conference tomorrow.”</p><p>“Security stuff?” Aaron repeated. “Very technical.”</p><p>“Uh huh,” Robert’s lips moved, pressing wet, open mouthed kisses to the skin of Aaron’s neck. “Please? I can’t wait until later.”</p><p>“Ok, ok.” Aaron disentangled himself from the net of Robert’s arms the best he could, which was a challenge considering Robert apparently didn’t want to let go. He put a palm on his chest. “Keep quiet,” he warned, “or this won’t work.”</p><p>Robert smirked, but did as asked. Aaron fumbled for the button his jacket, finding the microphone and lifting it to his mouth. As soon as he’d got the affirmative from Adam, Robert had his fingers on Aaron’s belt, mouth on his own.</p><p> </p><p>*****</p><p> </p><p>When the clock showed a little after ten in the evening, Aaron stretched and rolled, swinging his legs out of bed. He spotted his boxers on the floor a little way away and stood up to fetch them.</p><p>“You don’t have to go,” a voice rumbled from the bed.</p><p>Aaron turned to look at him. The white sheets were draped low on his hips, and one of his arms was stretched out to the side, resting in the place Aaron had just been. His hair was mussed on the pillow, eyes heavy lidded, and the soft smile on his face made Aaron want to do nothing else but climb back in there with him.</p><p>”I do,” he said, moving round to sit on the edge of the mattress by Robert’s hip. “I’ve been here a bit longer than a meeting usually lasts.”</p><p>Robert wrapped his fingers around Aaron’s forearm, thumb stroking small circles on his skin. “Feels a bit cheap though, doesn’t it? You, sneaking out in the middle of the night.”</p><p>Aaron leaned over him, cupping a palm around his jaw and kissing him, all tongue and barely any pressure. Robert’s arms slid around his waist, holding him tight on top of his body.</p><p>”Stay,” he tried again when Aaron pulled away so they were a hair's breadth apart. His tongue darted out to flick Aaron’s bottom lip, teasing. “One more hour.”</p><p>“No,” Aaron grinned and pulled back, disentangling himself from Robert’s arms. “I’ve got to go.”</p><p>Robert opened his mouth to protest again. Aaron darted back in and kissed him quiet. He stood from the bed, putting several feet between them to resist any more temptation, and headed for the kitchen.</p><p>He filled a glass of water from the tap, swallowing half down in one go. Robert came in behind him, and Aaron heard the clink of a beer bottle being retrieved from the fridge. Aaron leaned forwards, resting his hips against the counter. His legs still felt a little shaky; he wasn’t entirely sure they’d hold him up for all that long.</p><p>He stole a look at Robert. His hair was a mess, sticking up in different directions as a result of Aaron’s fingers being shoved through it. His torso was bare, boxers sitting low on his hips, and Aaron could see a large dark purplish mark blooming on the top of Robert’s right shoulder. It matched the faded pink one on his neck that Aaron had put there when they were in Scotland. The sight of them made the possessive side of Aaron want to drag him right back to bed, add new marks across his skin, plant another one in a more obvious place that couldn’t be hidden, so everyone would know Robert was his, that he had someone. That he was protected.</p><p>He turned away, heat rising in a flush up his chest at the thought. They hadn’t talked about it, but the idea that Robert might want to be Aaron’s as much as Aaron wanted to be his, was enough to make something twist in his belly. He shook his head to derail that train of thought before he opened his mouth and said something to that could ruin everything.</p><p>His attention was caught by a brown folder sat on the kitchen side a little way from him. The word ‘Tuesday’ was written in Roberts spiky handwriting in the top right-hand corner. Aaron watched it for a moment, and then, with a quick glance over his shoulder to check Robert’s back was still turned, reached for the file, turning it towards himself and flipping over the cover.</p><p>The frown between his eyebrows grew as he skimmed down the page. It was neatly split into paragraphs and at first glance seemed to be mostly business jargon, until words like ‘solidarity’ and ‘unafraid’ began jumping out at him.</p><p>Before he could make much sense of it, arms wrapped themselves around his waist from behind.</p><p>Aaron held the file up. “What’s this?”</p><p>“Hm? Oh,” Robert breath tickled the skin of his shoulder. “That’s… the speech I’ve written. For tomorrow.”</p><p>Aaron turned in the of the circle of Robert’s arms to meet his eyes. “Speech? Why are you making a speech? You said it was a small thing, an interview with just a couple of reporters.”</p><p>Dread trickled down Aaron’s spine when Robert dropped his eyes away without an answer. Aaron read through a few more lines, becoming increasingly disbelieving the further down he got.</p><p>“I changed it,” Robert admitted, so quietly Aaron almost didn’t hear him.</p><p>“You what? You changed it?” Aaron moved sideways out of his arms over to other side of the kitchen. “You changed the schedule without telling anyone? To what?”</p><p>He saw Robert exhale slowly. “I called a few more newspapers. There’s a few more people coming.”</p><p>“More?” Aaron said, incredulous. “You invited more of them? And you didn’t think to tell me? What the hell were you thinking?”</p><p>“It’s not a very long speech,” Robert folded his arms across his chest. “It’s not a big deal, right? I just thought it was about time I made a statement about the business. And about me, and everything that’s been going on.”</p><p>“Have you lost your mind?!” Aaron half-yelled. He thrust the file at Robert. “There is no way in hell you’re doing this! When were you going to tell me? When we turned up at the office tomorrow with a hundred people there and only the three of us?”</p><p>“I’m just trying to deal with this! I need to show people that I’m not hiding away!”</p><p>“That doesn’t mean you put yourself in danger!” Aaron threw the file back onto the side. “You’re not doing it. No chance.”</p><p>“I have to!”</p><p>“No, you <em>don't</em>. Screw your pride,” Aaron snapped. “Someone out there wants to hurt you, and you’re doing exactly the right thing to let them. Why would you lie to me?!”</p><p>“Because I knew you’d be like this! Telling me what I can and can’t do again!”</p><p>“What? Where’s this coming from? You were <em>shot at</em>, Robert. You got another threat last week! It's exactly my job to tell you what to do!” Aaron said helplessly. “We’ve been through this before, why are you acting like this?”</p><p>Robert shook his head slowly. “I can’t live this way forever. Constantly looking over my shoulder, waiting for the next letter to drop onto the doormat. I have to do this.”</p><p>“You think I’m about to let you stand up in front of a crowd of strangers without a proper team in place? No.”</p><p>Robert watched him for a moment. His eyes shone a little in the bright kitchen lights. When he next spoke, his voice was even, firm. “I’m doing this. And I want you there, but if you don’t want the same thing, then maybe you should stay away. Send someone else instead.”</p><p>Aaron’s jaw dropped. “That’s not fair, I’m just trying to protect you. I-“ the words caught in his throat. He swallowed them down again, looking down at the white tiles.</p><p>The room suddenly felt enormous, like some invisible chasm had opened on the floor between them. Aaron rubbed at the back of his neck. “I’ve got to go. I need to go to the station, sort this out.”</p><p>“Wait,” Robert followed him as he stalked back to the bedroom. “I didn’t mean that. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, but you have to understand why I did it. People need to see that I’m not going to be intimidated anymore!”</p><p>Aaron’s laugh was devoid of all humour. He yanked his jeans on and picked up his t-shirt. “You care more about what other people think of you than your own safety, yeah? That’s brilliant. So, was all that,” he gestured to the rumpled bed sheets they’d just emerged from, “just to sweeten me up? Did you start something between us so you could do things your own way thinking I’d just turn a blind eye?”</p><p>“Don’t be ridiculous,” Robert tone was icy. “You know me better than that.”</p><p>“Yeah?” Aaron raised his eyebrows. He saw Robert’s jaw clench. “I’m starting to doubt that. I’ll see myself out.” He marched towards the stairs.</p><p>“Aaron, come on,” Robert said again, following on his heels. “Stop for a second, let’s talk about this.”</p><p>“I haven’t got time,” Aaron opened the door without meeting his eyes. “I need to get a team together.”</p><p>But you will be there, won’t you?” Robert asked urgently, one foot out of the door, evidently uncaring of his half-naked state. “I need you there. Please.”</p><p>Aaron shrugged. “I dunno. Maybe I’ll send someone else. You might listen to them more than you listen to me.”</p><p>He slammed the door behind him, Robert's protests ringing in his ears.</p><p> </p><p>*****</p><p> </p><p>“Just when I was beginning to think that Sugden was all right, he goes and pulls a stunt like this,” Adam muttered darkly from his seat next to Aaron. “Idiot.”</p><p>“Agreed,” Finn said from Aaron’s other side. He was tightening the straps of his bulletproof vest under his open white shirt, glaring around the room as he did so. “Knew he was a twat from the moment we met him.”</p><p>Aaron let their insults go over his head. He finished buttoning up his own shirt and shrugged his dark grey jacket on, reaching behind his shoulder to feel for his earpiece. The vest was bulky under his shirt and he rolled his shoulders, adjusting to its weight. His eyes felt gritty, telling of the stress of the last twelve hours. Between frantically trying to pull a team together, briefing everyone, fielding questions from a very put-out Sarge, he’d not managed to get much sleep. The scalding extra-shot coffee he’d had that morning had boosted him a little, but he still felt off his game.</p><p>There was a strange mix of people in the room with them. Aaron, Finn and Adam were in their normal suits, other officers were dressed in plainclothes to blend in with civilians, and the rest of the team were in full uniform. One by one they finished adjusting uniforms and weapons, turning to look at Aaron expectantly.</p><p>“Everyone ready?” he asked, and got nods and affirmatives in response. “Ok. Everyone stick to the brief, please. Officers Barton and Woodall will be stationed around the perimeter of the conference room, I’ll be accompanying Gemini. Plainclothes will be among the conference attendees, armed officers on call. Clear?”</p><p>He got a chorus of affirmations in response. He gave a short nod to the room, and then lead the way out, heading for the stairs that would take them to the underground car park. Their normal black car was there, along with several police cars lined up and waiting.</p><p>The quiet inside the car was heavy as they drove. Aaron could almost hear the thoughts ticking over in Adam’s head, going over the plan again and again, much like Aaron was doing. All they needed to do was get Robert in and out safely, everything else came second. Aaron knew he wouldn’t be able to breathe properly until it was all over, and he and Robert was safely ensconced back in his house. He hadn’t spoken to Robert since their argument the previous night. The press conference was a bad enough idea in itself, but the fact that Robert had tried to do it behind Aaron’s back hurt more than he liked to admit.</p><p>He stayed in the car when they got the residence, letting Adam collect Robert. Aaron only chanced a look in the mirror once on the drive to the offices, but all he could see was the top of Robert’s head, bent over sheets of paper in his lap.</p><p>As planned, Finn drove them around to the back of the offices. Aaron escorted Robert inside, leaving Adam to coordinate the rest of the team arriving. They passed through the corridor leading to the entrance hall in painful silence, only the sound of their footsteps breaking the quiet. The bullet holes in the wall at the end of the corridor had been filled in and decorated over, but that didn’t stop the shiver up Aaron’s spine as they passed by.</p><p>They walked through the lobby, taking a different corridor that took them around to a set of doors at the back of the conference room. Once there, Aaron opened one of the heavy wooden doors a crack and peered through. Adam spotted him from a little way away, and Aaron gave him a thumbs up before retreating.</p><p>“Just a couple of minutes, sir, and we’ll be ready,” Aaron said, closing the door again. He linked his fingers together behind his back, aware of Robert fidgeting next to him.</p><p>“Aaron,” he began, “can we talk?”</p><p>Aaron took a steady breath in and kept his eyes forward. “Not now, if you don’t mind, sir. Let’s just concentrate on what we’ve got to do here."</p><p>“Look, I know you’re angry, but I just need you to know-“</p><p>“Robert,” Aaron said through gritted teeth. “I’m not doing this now.”</p><p>“Please, just let me explain.”</p><p>Aaron scoffed. “Think you said enough last night. Leave it.”</p><p>“Aaron-“ Robert pushed. He put a hand on Aaron’s bicep. “Listen-”</p><p>Aaron grabbed Robert’s wrist and shoved it off his arm. “I don’t wanna talk to you. Actually, right now I don’t even wanna be anywhere near you.” Robert’s eyes widened, but Aaron kept going, unable to stop the words now they were coming. His anger spilled over, rising up his throat, hot and bitter. “I think it’s best for everyone if we just focus on our jobs and nothing else, because whatever this is between us is clearly not gonna work, is it?”</p><p>Robert’s clenched fist went limp in surprise. The look on his face cut through the red-hot anger in Aaron’s veins. He winced internally.</p><p>“Aaron, please.” Robert said after a moment, voice thick. “Please, slow down, ok? Let me explain.”</p><p>Aaron released a slow sigh. “Like I said, not now. We’ll talk later.”</p><p>“But you can't just say that and not-“</p><p>But then the door in front of them opened, and a woman with a clipboard and a headset gestured for Robert to follow her. Aaron felt Robert’s eyes on the side of his head, and he gave a nod, urging him forward. Aaron walked behind, slower, taking up his position on the right-hand side of the platform, just out of view of the cameras.</p><p>Regret had settled in his stomach, heavy and sickening. It was beyond unprofessional of him to speak about their private lives whilst they were on a job, and even worse of him to talk about ending things moments before Robert had to go on stage. A small part of him had wanted to hurt Robert, make him feel some of the frustration he’d caused Aaron. Now he’d done it, he’d give anything to take it back. He watched Robert climb the steps, looking back at Aaron. The look in his eyes made Aaron want to pull him back down, hurry him away back behind the door and tell him he was sorry, that he didn’t mean it.</p><p>As soon as Robert reached the lectern, though, he schooled his features into the businessman that had been so familiar to Aaron when they first met. Stern, assertive.</p><p>Aaron angled his body half away so he had full view of both Robert and the rest of the room. Adam was stood on the other side, halfway down, and Finn was by the doors at the back. Aaron spotted a couple of plainclothes officers sat in the audience, some more milling around at the back.</p><p>“Thank you all for coming,” Robert began. He paused for a moment to adjust his papers on the stand in front of him and then looked up, shoulders pulling back. “As you are all aware, the past few months have not been easy, both in the company an in my personal life. By making this statement today, I hope to put some of the rumours about myself to bed.”</p><p>Aaron listened with one ear, continuously scanning the room in front of him. No movement went unnoticed; a woman flipped a page on her notebook, and he saw it. A photographer crossed the length of the room to get a better angle, and Aaron's eyes tracked his movements. The click of a shutter sounded accompanied by a white flash of light, and Robert faltered mid-sentence.</p><p>Aaron threw a glare at the photographer. Robert took a sip of water from the glass sat on the lectern, and then continued. “I know that my reputation precedes me. Ever since I took over my business from my parents, I have only been doing what I think is best for it. I have never-“</p><p>He was cut off by the wail of an alarm. Aaron’s heart leapt, and his hand flew to his gun. Automatically, he stepped towards Robert.</p><p>He met Adam’s eyes from across the room and saw him lift a hand to his radio. “<em>Think it’s the fire alarm, Boss</em>,” he heard in his ear. “<em>Evacuate?</em>”</p><p>Aaron swore under his breath. He could see the officers in the crowd, standing from their seats as people began to move, watching him for direction. He gestured for them to head for the exits, and then looked at Adam again. “Crowd control please, Adam,” he said into his lapel. “Get people out of the front doors, then get the car with Finn and come around the back. I’ll escort Gemini back out the way we came, and we’ll wait there for you. We’ll reschedule this.”</p><p>“<em>Copy,</em>” their voices answered.</p><p>Aaron watched as people began pushing for the doors, some holding up others as they tried to take some of their equipment with them. Adam headed for the crowd beginning to form around the doors, deep voice booming out over the piercing alarm. Aaron watched a man stumble and lose his balance, crashing into a camera and sending the tripod toppling to the ground.</p><p>He turned his attention back to Robert. He was stood, frozen, at the lectern, watching the commotion in front of him.</p><p>Aaron hurried to the front of the stage. “Sir!” he called over the alarm. “We’ve got to go!”</p><p>He held his arm out towards Robert, fingers outstretched, and beckoned. Robert looked down at him, then at his hand, and moved out from behind the wooden stand. He took three steps forward, his own hand stretching out to take Aaron’s.</p><p>Then there was a crack, and Robert jerked where he stood. His eyes met Aaron’s, still reaching for him, and a confused expression crossed his face. He looked down at himself, and Aaron followed his gaze.</p><p>Time seemed to slow. The sound of the alarm and the shouting of voices suddenly seemed to dip. Aaron's vision zeroed in, and he couldn’t see anything but red, spreading in a circle from a small hole in Robert’s white shirt.</p><p>“No,” he breathed. “No, no, no!”</p><p>He leaned forward, trying to reach Robert’s hand, but he staggered back, knees giving out under him. Aaron threw himself at the stage, pulling himself up and crawling to Robert’s side.</p><p>“Aaron,” Robert said, his fingers scrabbling across Aaron’s forearms when he reached him. “Aaron.”</p><p>“You’re ok,” Aaron said. He looked into Robert’s eyes, saw the glaze of fear there. “I’ve got you, yeah? Breathe.”</p><p>“Aaron.” Robert’s breaths came sharp, panicked. His hands gripped Aaron’s wrists so tightly it hurt.</p><p>Aaron looked down at the rapidly spreading red, and then back up at him. A sheen of sweat glistened on his forehead. His fingers went limp, falling away from Aaron's, and his eyes rolled back.</p><p>“Rob?” Aaron shouted, shaking his shoulder. “Robert?!”</p><p>Robert didn’t reply, head lolling to one side. For one awful, heart stopping moment Aaron couldn’t see the rise and fall of his chest, and he scrambled closer, pressing two fingers to the pulse point in Robert’s neck. He felt Robert’s pulse fluttering against his fingers, erratic, but there, and felt the barest hint of relief.</p><p>Noise came back to him like the volume dial being tuned up, the screaming of the alarms, the yells of the team, louder now after the gunshot.</p><p>The crackle of Adam’s voice in his ear made him jump. “<em>Shots fired; shots fired. Civilians present. All units to the conference hall.</em>”</p><p>Aaron groped for the microphone clipped to his shirt. “Gemini down,” his voice trembled. “Repeat, Gemini down. I need an ambulance.”</p><p>“<em>Primary down!</em>” Adams voice came again, urgent this time. “<em>Repeat, primary down! Immediate medical assistance required!</em>”</p><p>The blood was spreading with a frightening speed. Aaron yanked off his suit jacket, bundling it up and pressing it to Robert’s abdomen. He stayed low, hunched over Robert to shield as much of him as he could. He put his free hand on top of the other one already planted on Robert’s stomach, applying more pressure. “Come on, Robert,” he urged. “Come <em>on</em>.”</p><p>“<em>Finn, eyes on the shooter?</em>”</p><p>“<em>Negative</em>,” Finn's voice answered Adam. “<em>Back up team inside building. Ambulance en route.</em>”</p><p>“<em>Boss, are you hurt?</em>”</p><p>“Negative,” Aaron’s fingers slipped over the button on his mic. He pulled them away to look at them, stomach rolling when he saw them smeared red. “God. Robert.” He smoothed Robert’s fringe back from his clammy forehead with the back of his hand. “Please, please. come on.”</p><p>Shallow, gasping breaths shuddered from Robert’s parted lips. Aaron could do nothing but watch, pressing his jacket to him, watching his skin go pale. The blood had soaked through Aaron’s jacket, staining the cuffs of his shirt.</p><p>What must have been mere minutes felt like hours until the paramedics arrived. Aaron was forced to step back, watching as an oxygen mask was threaded over Robert’s head. A paramedic took his jacket away, cutting Robert’s shirt open and pressing a clean compress to his skin. They spoke to each other, urgent words that went straight over Aaron’s head.</p><p>He could only watch, helpless, as they moved Robert onto a stretcher and headed down the steps towards the doors. Aaron was left standing there alone on the stage, the alarm still blaring in his ears, and his blood-stained jacket at his feet.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Aaron stared at the wall in front of him. The hard plastic of the chair had made his thighs go numb hours ago, but he refused to move. He knew he must look a state, dishevelled and still covered in Robert’s blood. He’d not missed the glances that patients and nurses alike threw his way as they passed by. Not even Adams gentle persuasions could make him even entertain the thought of leaving his watch outside Robert’s hospital room for even a second.</p><p>The last few hours had been hellish blur of screeching brakes and sirens, panicked voices and the beeping of machinery. Robert in the ambulance, being wheeled into surgery, the agonising wait of not being told if he was going to be ok and finally, the click of the door in Aaron’s face as he was told he wasn’t allowed to see him.</p><p>He was stable, they’d told Aaron that much. Stable, but unconscious. The relief he’d felt when they’d told him had made him buckle at the knees, slumping down into the chair. He’d been there ever since. Adam had tried pushing numerous cups of coffee from the vending machine into his hands, but Aaron had let each one go cold. He’d told him to go home, shower, throw his clothes away, but Aaron ignored him every time. </p><p>In Aaron’s mind, if he left, or changed, he’d break the tie between he and Robert, and if Robert worsened then it would be his fault. So he stayed, watching the wall, trying to stare through to see the man in the bed on the other side.</p><p>“Mate,” Adam put a hand on his shoulder and dropped into the chair next to him. “I’ve got the Sarge on the phone. She wants to talk to you.”</p><p>Aaron looked blankly at the phone Adam was holding out to him and shook his head. “No,” his voice croaked, sore from shouting. “I can’t, Adam. You do it.”</p><p>“It’s you she’s asking for,” Adam urged. “If you don’t, she’ll come down here and none of us want that.”</p><p>Aaron squeezed his eyes shut. He took a deep breath to steel himself, then raised the phone to his ear. “Ma’am.”</p><p>“Aaron,” the Sergeants voice was its regular, collected self. “How are you?”</p><p>“Fine, Ma’am,” he lied. “I’m just waiting for news on Robert.”</p><p>“You’ll be waiting a while,” she told him. “I’ve spoken to the hospital. They’re not releasing any information to us until they’ve been in contact with Mr Sugden’s brother. That could be a while seeing as he seems to have disappeared into thin air.”</p><p>“He did it, ma’am,” Aaron said. “I know he did.”</p><p>“You don’t know anything at this stage,” she said, not unkindly. “I’m just calling to let you know a team are coming to take over. They’ll stay with Mr Sugden through the night.”</p><p>Aaron shook his head. “I can’t go, ma’am. I need to be here if he wakes up.” He felt Adam squeeze his shoulder and swallowed.</p><p>“It’s not up for argument, Aaron. I’ve asked Adam to drive you. You need to go home, eat, and sleep for as long as you can. Understood?”</p><p>“Understood,” Aaron repeated.</p><p>“Come to the station tomorrow. No rush, just whenever you wake up. We’ll talk then.”</p><p>“Ma’am,” he murmured. The line disconnected, and he handed the phone back to Adam.</p><p>“Come on, mate,” Adam said apologetically. “I’m under orders. Let’s go.”</p><p>Reluctantly, Aaron stood, legs shaky as the feeling began to come back into them. He followed Adam down the hallway, looking back until Robert’s room was out of sight.</p><p>At home, he abandoned his suit on his bedroom floor and turned the shower as hot as he could bear. The water felt like needles on his shoulders, and he stood there with his head lowered, watching the water sluice off him, tinged pink as it ran down the drain.</p><p>He made himself toast purely out of the need to survive, though he could have been eating old cardboard for all he could taste. The tv screen illuminated the living room, making him squint as his eyes adjusted. Adam had told him not to, but his fingers moved to the buttons on the remote, taking him to the rolling news channel.</p><p>They were replaying a report from earlier in the day. Judging by the chaos outside of the offices, it was recorded not long after it had happened. Behind the reporter there were people Aaron recognised as the backup team, running in and out of the entrance doors, escorting civilians and clearing the area in front of the building.</p><p>“<em>This is the moment, filmed by a reporter inside the conference, that Mr Sugden was shot,</em>” the reporter said, and Aaron stilled.</p><p>The screen changed to shaky footage, complete with the blare of the fire alarm. The picture was uneven, as if the person filming had been moving backwards, but Aaron could still make out the image of Robert stood up on the stage. There was movement to the left of the screen, and he watched the grainy figure of himself run into view, standing in front of Robert and reaching out a hand for him.</p><p>His heart clenched as he watched Robert move forward, extending an arm down to take Aaron’s hand. Then the footage froze, and the image of the reporter came back into view.</p><p>Aaron muted the screen, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees and breathing deeply, willing the nausea in his stomach to subside. He couldn’t bear it; he couldn't deal with the fact that the words he’d said to Robert mere moments before had been ones designed to hurt him. And that despite that, Robert had still wanted him, still come to him when asked. Aaron rewound the footage, playing it again and keeping the sound off this time. He watched it over and over, watching the two of them reach for each other, cursing himself for being too slow, for not acting quick enough. If only he’d not hesitated when the alarm first started.</p><p>The fight they’d had in Robert’s kitchen was such a stupid thing to get so upset about. He should have made more effort to listen, to understand, instead of storming off and giving him the silent treatment. Robert had needed his love and support, and once again Aaron had let him down. He sat awake, rewinding and watching the footage, until exhaustion claimed him in the early hours, just as the horizon was beginning to grow light around the edges.</p><p> </p><p>*****</p><p> </p><p>“How are you, Aaron?” The CI asked, steepling her fingers together and frowning across the desk at him.</p><p>“Erm, fine, thank you,” Aaron cleared his throat and shifted in his seat. “Is there any update on Robert?”</p><p>“No change. We managed to get in contact with Andy Sugden. He’s in Barcelona at the moment; he won’t be coming back for a couple of weeks yet.” She pushed off from the desk, moving to a small table tucked away in the corner of the room. “Tea? Coffee?”</p><p>Aaron narrowed his eyes at her back as she turned away. “No, thanks,” he said shortly. “Ma’am, we are going to pulling Andy in for questioning, aren’t we?”</p><p>“Why would we do that?” she said mildly, clinking a teaspoon on the side of her mug.</p><p>Strong coffee invaded Aaron’s senses, and his empty stomach growled. He’d woken late, and not had time for breakfast. “Well,’ he’s got to be involved, hasn’t he? He might not have been in the country, but that doesn’t mean he’s not responsible. I mean, he even said in his interview he was sorry that whoever tried to shoot Robert last time missed! That’s got to be worth something surely?”</p><p>“Aaron,” the CI settled herself back into her leather backed chair. “Slow down. Look, clearly this has affected you quite deeply, which is understandable. I’ve had a few conversations and I think it’s best for you, and for your team, if you take a step back for a while.”</p><p>Aaron frowned as if he’d misheard her. “What?”</p><p>“Leave the questioning to us. Take some time away to get your head sorted-“</p><p>“You’re taking me off the case? Ma’am, you can’t! I need to see this through!”</p><p>“I understand your attachment,” she nodded, “but you know you can’t go around throwing accusations at anyone. There’s protocol to follow.”</p><p>“They’re not accusations! Please, just let me interview Andy Sugden. I know that if we get him in, he’ll slip up and admit it.”</p><p>“Aaron,” she said sharply, and Aaron fell silent. “You need to reel it in. I understand your frustrations, but I’ve made up my mind. Anyone who’s been through what you have would need some time away. You’ve become too involved. You’re calling Mr Sugden by his first name, for goodness sake.”</p><p>Aaron felt his cheeks flame, a mixture of anger at both her and himself. He dropped his eyes to the floor lest she see something behind his eyes that told her the true extent of how close he and Robert had really become.</p><p>“It’s ok, Aaron,” her voice turned surprisingly gentle. “It’s ok to care more than the job entails; you’re not the first officer to do it and you won’t be the last. But I can’t let you continue working on with your head all over the place. Take some time away, get out of the city. Go and visit your family, hm?”</p><p>“I can’t,” Aaron said helplessly. “Please, I need to stay. I need to be there for Robert when he wakes up. I can’t protect him if I’m nowhere near him.”</p><p>“We’ve got plenty of officers here that can take over. You’ve been in this team a while now, Aaron, and I’ve got a lot of respect for you and the work you do. However, I won’t let you get yourself hurt because I failed in my responsibilities as your superior.” She leaned over the desk towards him. “Do you understand where I’m coming from?”</p><p>Every part of Aaron protested that no, he didn’t understand, but after a moment more of her just looking at him steadily, it became clear that this was a battle he wasn’t going to win. “Yes, Ma’am.”</p><p>“Thank you,” she leaned back in her chair, lifting her coffee cup to her mouth. “I’ve signed you off for a week, but that can be extended if you think you need more time.”</p><p>A week felt like a year. Aaron nodded. “A week is fine.”</p><p>“Good. We’ll see you in a week, then.”</p><p>Aaron heard the dismissal and stood. “Ma’am,” he inclined his head, and then turned to the door and let himself out without a backward glance.</p><p>He walked back through the station. The corridors were mercifully quiet, so there weren’t many people hanging around to gawp at him, to whisper to each other behind their hands. <em>There goes Dingle</em>, he could almost hear them say, <em>let his client get shot and now he’s off the team</em>. He kept his head down, walking straight out of the front doors and heading for the train station. On his way, he pulled his phone from his pocket, pulling up the message thread to his mum.</p><p>
  <em>Can I come home?</em>
</p><p> </p><p>*****</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, thank god,” Chas swept him into her arms, holding him as tightly as she could with a full-term bump between them. “Come here, sweetheart. I’ve been worried sick.”</p><p>“Are you ok?” Paddy stood behind his mum, reaching over to put a hand on his shoulder. “Sorry, that’s a daft question to ask considering what you been through.”</p><p>“S’ok,” Aaron replied, voice muffled by Chas’ shoulder. “I’m all right, Pads.”</p><p>“Course you’re not all right, love. You don’t have to pretend with us,” Chas rubbed a soothing hand over his back. “Come on, come through.”</p><p>Aaron followed them through to the living room, side stepping a couple of empty cardboard boxes. The smell of paint lingered in the air. On his way past, he spotted the new nursery, pale yellow this time, smiling cartoon lions peeking out from long blades of grass on the walls. A wooden cot was set up, pale pink blankets neatly folded at the end.</p><p>“Talk about cutting it fine,” Paddy gestured to where Aaron was looking with a slightly strained chuckle. “Only finished that a couple of days ago.”</p><p>“I’m sorry,” Aaron said. “I must be the last person you want here.”</p><p>“Now, don’t you ever say that. You’re my son,” Chas looked into his eyes. “This will always be your home, no matter how grown up you get.”</p><p>Aaron’s attempt at a smile must have looked even more forced, for Chas guided him to sit in an armchair and Paddy pushed a mug of strong tea into his hand. He looked between them, guilt weighing heavy at their matching expressions of concern. “Look, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about...Robert. I didn’t mean for you to find out by seeing me on the news.”</p><p>“We know, mate.” Paddy brushed away his apology. “You had it keep it quiet, it’s your job. We understand, don’t we?”</p><p>“I didn’t mean to make you worry,” he looked at his mum. “Especially you. You should be resting, and all I’m doing is stressing you out.”</p><p>“Oh, you know me, tough as old boots. Though I’ve got to say, seeing your face in the papers, up on that stage. Urgh,” she shivered. “It’s enough to give any mother nightmares.”</p><p>“We tried calling the hospital, but they wouldn’t tell us anything other than you were being checked over.” Paddy said. “I’m glad you’re ok.”</p><p>“And Robert?” Chas’ voice dropped. “How is he? They said on the news he was unconscious.”</p><p>“The hospital won’t tell me anything. I tried call a couple of times on the way up, but they just think I’m press, snooping around for a story. Sarge will be in contact if anything changes.”</p><p>“God,” Chas shook her head slowly. “You never know what’s going to happen, do you? One minute you’re ok, making a speech, going about your business...the next you’re on the floor with a bullet in your stomach.”</p><p>“Mum,” Aaron interrupted, breath seizing in his chest. “I don’t really wanna talk about it, yeah? Can we...I just need to try and distract myself from it.”</p><p>“Of course,” Paddy nudged Chas in the arm none-too-subtly. “You’re right. We won’t talk about it again.”</p><p>“Sorry, love,” Chas leaned forward as far as she could with her belly and patted him on the knee. “You’re safe here with us.” Aaron squeezed her fingers, blinking back the burning behind his eyes.</p><p>The rest of the weekend passed in thankful peace. Aaron kept himself busy by finding odd jobs around the house; fixing the door of the shed in the garden that had been hanging on by a thread for what seemed like forever, cleaning the windows, mowing the lawn, anything to occupy his mind. As hard as he tried, though, he couldn’t avoid the concerned looks Paddy shot his way, or the way his mum came to check on him every five minutes, constantly pushing cups of tea into his hand.</p><p>Despite his best efforts to distract himself, Robert was there, lingering in the edges of his thoughts. He made sure to stay out of earshot of the radio that Paddy had on in the kitchen lest he hear any news of Robert’s condition. His phone stayed silent.</p><p>It was worse at night, when Paddy and Chas went to bed and Aaron was alone, lying in the single bed in the spare room without only his thoughts and the moonlight for company. Images flicked through his mind like some sort of awful photo album, skipping through secret smiles and all-consuming kisses to uncontrollable anger and then always ending with Robert laid out on the stage in front of him, red staining white.</p><p>It left him shaky and sick to his stomach with guilt, endless ‘if only’s circling in his mind. If only he’d been a second quicker. If only he’d fought more to cancel the conference. If only the alarm hadn’t been triggered. If only he’d worked harder to find out who shot at him last time.</p><p>He fell asleep to disjointed dreams, a red and yellow keyring held loosely between his fingers.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 10</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Oh wow, thank you so much for being patient with me, I certainly didn't intend to leave you hanging for so long! I had to throw myself into my final project for uni, but I'm back now! Again, thank you so much for waiting!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The rocking of the trail lulled Aaron to sleep on the way back into the city. A lack of any proper rest over the past week caught up with him as soon as he sat down. He drifted off not long into his journey, forehead resting on the cool glass of the window. The next thing he knew was the hiss of the train doors opening, the trundle of his fellow passengers’ suitcases on the concrete platform. He stood, bleary eyed, and reached for his rucksack, following the flow of traffic out of the station. </p><p>The bustle and noise of the city settled onto his shoulders, as familiar as a worn old jacket. He wound his way around people hurrying to and fro on the pavement, crossing through the midday traffic on the roads on the way back to his flat. Despite everything, it was good to be home. Chas had tried to persuade him to stay, at least until the baby was born, but Aaron couldn’t. Chas and Paddy were in their baby bubble, and his moping around was threatening to burst it.</p><p>The pull of Robert had brought him back, too. Aaron felt closer to him here. There was something in the air here, a presence, like his subconscious knew Robert was only a few streets away. </p><p>He didn’t even entertain going home; his feet carried him straight to the hospital, bag and all. The clinical smell of disinfectant made him grimace, but he pushed on, waiting his turn in the queue for reception. </p><p>“I’m looking for Robert Sugden,” he said to the girl at the desk.</p><p>She looked up at him from behind her glasses, blinking. Then she pushed away from her desk on her chair, wheeling herself back towards another receptionist sat behind her. </p><p>“One moment,” she said to him. She swivelled around and said something to her colleague. Aaron saw her shake her head, and his heart sunk.</p><p>She scooted back across the floor to where he stood.  “Can I see some ID, please?”</p><p>Aaron cast a look at the queue behind him and leaned over the desk a little. “Look, I’m a friend of his. I just want to see him.”</p><p>“I’m sorry, sir, but without identification…”</p><p>“Can you at least tell me how he is? If he’s awake? Please?”</p><p>“I’m sorry.”</p><p>A man cleared his throat pointedly behind him, and Aaron threw a glare over his shoulder. He looked back at the receptionist’s apologetic expression. “It’s ok. Forget it.”</p><p>He left, chin tucked into the top of his jacket. He stood across the road from the hospital and looked up the at hundreds of windows glinting in the midday sunshine. There was no telling if Robert was behind any of them, but Aaron still watched, hoping for some sort of sign. When none came, he moved off, heading for home. </p><p>The feeling of being completely in the dark was not a pleasant one. Sarge had done a good job of ensuring no one contacted him; his phone had been silent all week. Not a peep from any of them, not even Adam. </p><p>Aaron didn’t know anything about Robert, if he remembered the attack, even if he was awake. His stomach gave a sickening drop when he wondered if Robert blamed him. What if Aaron had got into the hospital, only to be turned away by Robert? Then what would he do? </p><p>He couldn’t wait to be told the details until it suited the Sarge; he had to know now. </p><p>The station looked as it always did. People milled around in every hallway, and the smell of slightly stale coffee pervaded the air. On his floor, the photocopier still clunked to itself, warning light flashing. It all looked normal, but everything had a slightly off-kilter edge to it, like he should recognise it, but couldn’t. It made him feel even more on edge.</p><p>The corridors were busy enough for him blend in with, and he snuck up to the office. All he wanted was an hour to go through Robert’s file, see the latest update from the hospital, and then look back through the CCTV footage he assumed had been collected from Robert’s building. There had to be something he’d missed, some clue somewhere that could help him. </p><p>He got into the office and switched his computer on. Then he pulled up the interview with Andy and logged into the database to access the CCTV. </p><p>“Aaron?” a voice behind him said, and Aaron swore under his breath. He switched off the computer screen and spun around in his chair. Adam stood there, half-eaten chocolate bar in his hand, looking at Aaron as if he had two heads. ‘What are you doing here?’</p><p>Aaron lifted an eyebrow. “Nice to see you, too.”</p><p>“Mate, of course it’s good to see you! Come here.” Aaron stood, letting Adam envelope him in a tight hug. “How are you doing? I thought you were at your mum’s?”</p><p>“I was. Got back this morning.” Adam released him and Aaron shifted his body slightly to block the computer screen from his view.</p><p>“Does the Sarge know you’re back?”</p><p>Aaron shook his head. “No. I’d rather keep it that way for the moment, too. What are you doing here, anyway? Is there someone with Robert?”</p><p>“I was there this morning. Finn’s taken over the afternoon shift.”</p><p>Aaron bit his lip. “How is he?”</p><p>“Awake. He’s not spoken a word to anyone, mind you, but he’s awake. Successful surgery to remove the bullet.”</p><p>Aaron almost collapsed back in his chair with relief. “Why did no one tell me? Adam please, I just want five minutes with him. I need to see him, I’ll get him to talk, or make a statement, whatever, please-“</p><p>“You know I can’t let you in there.” Adam shook his head. “It’s bad enough you’re here now. If Sarge found out I’d let you in there, there’d be hell to pay. The best I can do is a text if anything changes. You were supposed to be resting, anyway, not,” he peered over Aaron’s shoulder at the blank computer screen, “doing whatever it is you’re doing. Are you gonna tell me why you’re snooping around and why you don’t want Sarge to know you’re here?”</p><p>“I’m not snooping,” Aaron protested. “I just need to do something, Adam. It’s bad enough Sarge has taken me off the team, I can’t just sit at home and do nothing.”</p><p>“That’s the point of a break, isn’t it?” Adam sighed at Aaron’s flat look. “Fine. I won’t tell her you’re here just yet. Come on, then, what are you looking for?”</p><p>Aaron sat back down at his desk, pressing the button again so the screen flickered to life. Adam pulled out the chair next to him. “The CCTV from the attack, first. I was going to look through it, see if there’s something that could have been missed.”</p><p>“First problem there,” Adam said, grim. “There isn’t any.”</p><p>“You what?” </p><p>“No CCTV,” Adam said. “The system had been switched off. We can’t see who was going in or out.”</p><p>“What? So, someone managed to access the security room without being seen by anyone?”</p><p>“I’m just as confused as you are, mate, but there’s no video evidence of the shooting. And, forensics are certain that it’s the same perpetrator as last time; the bullets they pulled from the wall and from Sugden’s stomach match. Same gun.”</p><p>“How?” Aaron hissed. “How can the same person have disappeared twice? We checked everyone going in and out of that building!”</p><p>“I know. The fire alarm wasn’t a genuine emergency either obviously. The glass was broken on the alarm outside the conference room doors.”</p><p>“As a distraction…” Aaron said. “The same way the photographers last time were used to throw us off. Everything was so carefully planned, they knew what they were doing.” He ran a hand over his face and pressed his fingers into his eyes, hard. “We’re missing something. Let’s pull all the names on the list for the conference, get them in for questioning.”</p><p>“Already done it,” Adam said. “But there were other people in the building at the time, staff, receptionists, delivery guys...tracking all of them down won’t be easy. It’s a minefield. Every time I think we’re getting somewhere, we come to a dead end.”</p><p>Aaron slid away from the desk and stood. He nibbled on his thumbnail. “It’s someone who knows their way around the blueprints of a building, who knows where to find the CCTV system. Someone who had to have done their research beforehand.” He faced Adam. “I didn’t tell anyone about the conference until the night before, and it was confidential information. Only the people on the team would have been able to access the schedule.”</p><p>“So you’re saying...someone in the station leaked in the info?” Adam looked around at their colleagues sat at their own desks. “Seriously?”</p><p>“It makes sense. How else would the shooter have been able to learn the layout of the building so quickly?” Aaron frowned against the headache that was beginning to form at his temples. “Unless someone in here was leaking the information to the outside. To Andy.”</p><p>“Aaron, this is all pointing to someone else…not Andy Sugden,” Adam said hesitantly. “You don’t still think it’s him, do you?”</p><p>Aaron grimaced. “It has to be, doesn’t it?”</p><p>“His alibis all check out, mate. He might actually be innocent.”</p><p>Aaron looked at the screen again. “He can’t be. It’s got to be him.”</p><p>“What if that’s what the shooter wants to you think? They could be setting him up.”</p><p>Aaron paused. He hadn’t wanted to admit to himself that that was a possibility, but the signs were beginning to point that way. “What about when Robert first took over?” he tried. “How much noise was Andy making about losing the business?”</p><p>“A lot, but he wasn’t the only one. Robert overhauled the company to try and pull it out of debt, so a lot of people lost their jobs. There was a huge outcry in the papers and over social media, people trying to drag the company name through the mud.”</p><p>“Do we have any photocopies of those papers?”</p><p>“Yep. There’s also a list of people who gave interviews to the press, and a list of people who tried to take the company to court.”</p><p>“Where are they?”</p><p>“Here. They were all interviewed at the station at the time.” Adam leaned over, taking the mouse and clicking through a couple of folders on the computer. A spreadsheet opened up. “All of these people lost their jobs when the company nearly went under. I read all about it, it was a hard time for a lot of people. They lost pensions, cars…homes on a couple of occasions. They were angry.”</p><p>“Of course they were. But they blamed Robert instead of his father.” Aaron flopped back into his seat. “God, what a mess.”</p><p>“I know,” Adam said. His finger ran past a few names. “I think our next step is to focus on these people, call them all in again, re-interview, and try and figure out if they know each other, if they’re working together. The ones highlighted in red at the top are the ones that caused the most trouble at the time.”</p><p>“Who have we got?” Aaron said. “Copy them into the database, see if any of them flag up.”</p><p>Adam nodded. “Carly Davies, Tom Bradwell, Moira Thomas- wait.”</p><p>Aaron sat up straight. “What?”</p><p>“So, these are the few people that stick out,” Adam explained. “Ones that made more than just noise. A group of them spent a night behind bars for damaging the company building, throwing rocks through the windows, that sort of thing. The ringleader was someone called Moira Thomas. She used to work closely with Jack Sugden, a sort of secretary, though she sat in on a lot of the meetings, it appears.” Adam typed that name into the database. “Moira Thomas. Fifty-two. One son. Married but divorced, though she kept her married name. She was previously Moira….”</p><p>Adam trailed off. Aaron leaned over, trying to see the screen. “Previously what?”</p><p>He saw Adam’s throat bob as he swallowed. “Previously, Moira Woodall.”</p><p>Aaron zeroed in on the screen. His stomach swooped as if he’d missed a step. “Woodall. As in-“</p><p>“As in, Finn Woodall.” Adam stared. “We were looking for someone who can get inside info at a moment’s notice, who can not only get their hands on military grade weapons but know how to fire them…”</p><p>“Someone who has a motive for revenge,” Aaron continued, mouth going dry. “Someone who spends a lot of time with Sugden, who knows his schedule, who has free access to blueprints.”</p><p>“Shit.”</p><p>“Go, go!” Aaron shoved out of his chair, breaking into a flat run out of the office and towards the stairs. “Call for backup, all units to the hospital. Have you still got your gun on you?”</p><p>“Boss.”</p><p>They burst through the doors onto the staircase, taking two at a time. People jumped out of their path, flattening themselves against the walls. Aaron heard Adam talking rapidly into his phone, but he couldn’t focus on anything he said over the pounding need in his head to go faster, faster. </p><p>“How could we have been so bloody stupid,” he snapped as he shoved the door to the basement open, running for Adam’s car. “All this time, and he was right under our noses.”</p><p>“Don’t,” Adam said shortly. “Not now, ok? Let’s just focus on getting to the hospital.” He unlocked a car and they threw themselves inside. Adam jammed the key into the ignition, and they screeched out of the station, sirens wailing behind them.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>For those of you who guessed who it was- extra kudos for your detective work!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter 11</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Adam pulled up to the hospital, abandoning the car on the double yellow lines outside the entrance. Aaron almost tripped out of the car in his haste, barely pausing to shut the door behind him before running full pelt for the doors. Inside, he fell back a step, letting Adam lead the way through the maze of corridors.</p><p>He tried to keep his mind central, focusing on getting to Robert and nothing else. If he even began to consider that Finn might have done something to him, he would probably lose it. He stayed close of Adam’s heels, back prickling with sweat as they dodged around patients in hospital gowns and doctors in navy scrubs.</p><p>Up three flights of stairs and along another brightly lit corridor that smelt heavily of antiseptic, Adam came to a halt outside a light-coloured wooden door with a square panel of frosted glass at the top. Aaron reached for the door handle, but Adam stopped him.</p><p>“Wait,” he said, and pulled his gun from his jacket, lifting it to shoulder height.</p><p>He stepped back, and Aaron reached for the cold silver handle. At Adam’s nod, he pushed, shoving the door open.</p><p>Adam moved into the doorway, aiming. At his hissed curse, Aaron followed, peering into the room.</p><p>The bed was a mess. White hospital sheets twisted and hung off the edges. Grey wires coiled around themselves on the floor as if they’d been ripped off in a hurry. A machine in the corner beeped softly to no one.</p><p>“We’re too late,” Aaron’s said. His voice sounded hollow to his own ears, words escaping into the empty room. “He's got him.”</p><p>“Jesus <em>Christ</em>!” Adam smacked a hand into the doorframe. “Right, I’ll find someone, ask if anyone saw them leaving.”</p><p>“Copy.”</p><p>Adam darted from the room. Aaron stayed still for a moment, eyes fixed on the empty bed. On legs that felt like lead, he moved forward, touching a palm to the sheets. They were cold.</p><p>There were still remnants of Robert in the room; a half-drunk plastic cup of water on the bedside table, a black jacket hanging over the arm of the chair in the corner of the room. Something was missing, though. Aaron frowned, looking in the drawers of the table and then lifting the pillows up to look underneath them.</p><p>“Adam?” he called, jogging back out into the corridor.</p><p>“What do you mean he discharged himself?” Adam was saying to a worried-looking doctor. “He’s been shot, and you’ve just let him walk out?”</p><p>“When did they leave?” Aaron asked.</p><p>“Close to an hour ago,” Adam replied. “They thought that because he had an officer with him, we were ok with him discharging himself.”</p><p>“Was he definitely with Finn?”</p><p>Adam dug his phone out of his pocket and showed the doctor a photo. The man nodded grimly. Adam swore again.</p><p>“Robert’s phone’s missing,” Aaron told him. “I’ve looked for it, but it’s not there; they must have taken it with them. If we can get either of them on his phone, we can trace the signal to their location.”</p><p>Adam nodded. “Try it.”</p><p>Aaron took his phone out, dialling Robert’s number. He listened to the continuous ringing in his ear. “No answer. I don’t understand. He must be in a right state. How did no one stop them to check on him?”</p><p>“You don’t question an officer with a badge, do you,” Adam said. “Look, keep trying him, I’ll call the station.”</p><p>Aaron nodded, walking a short way from Adam to look out of the nearest window at the busy street below them. He nibbled on his thumbnail as the phone rang out in his ear again, eyes jumping from one pedestrian to the next, hoping that by some miracle he might spot a head of blond hair.</p><p>“Come on,” he said under his breath. “Come on, come <em>on</em>.”</p><p>In all his time in the force, he’d never felt so helpless. Robert was out there, hurt, held against his will by someone trying to exact revenge on him, and Aaron could do nothing. He didn’t even know where to start; London was a big place to hide in.</p><p>The line connected in his ear, and Aaron’s heart leapt for half a second before it went dead again. He redialled, but there was nothing but an automated voice telling him the number couldn’t be reached.</p><p>“Adam,” he said. “We’ve got nothing. He’s switched his phone off.”</p><p>“Or it’s been switched off for him,” Adam replied. He put his own phone back in the pocket of his jeans. “I mean, what the first thing you would do if you’d kidnapped someone?”</p><p>“Take their phone,” Aaron said. “And if Finn has taken it then he’s seen my calls, which means he knows that we’ve realised he’s got Robert.”</p><p>“Which means he’ll be panicking, which means he’ll be moving faster,” Adam finished for him.</p><p>“We need to start looking,” Aaron said. He turned, heading back to the staircase. Adam followed. “Let’s just get in the car and drive around, see if we can see anything.”</p><p>“Copy,” Adam said. “Station are pulling people together. I’ve asked them to check CCTV of the streets outside the hospital.”</p><p>“Did you mention me?”</p><p>“I told them that you’re back, yeah.”</p><p>Aaron grimaced. “We’ve got to be quick then. If the Sarge hears I’m back-“</p><p>“I think she’s got more important things to worry about than you,” Adam said. He dropped his voice as they passed through the reception area of the hospital, heading for their abandoned car. “Like the fact that her client has been kidnapped by an officer.”</p><p>“Yeah, an officer who’s turned out to be a complete <em>psycho</em>,” Aaron said through gritted teeth. “Adam, if he’s hurt him-“ he cut himself off, exhaling slowly in an attempt to rein himself in. “I’ve got to find him.”</p><p>Aaron's phone rang in his hand. He snatched it up, eager, heart falling when he saw the name on the screen.</p><p>“Shit,” he said. “It’s the Sarge.”</p><p>“Better answer it, mate.”</p><p>Aaron slammed the car door behind him, lifting the phone to his ear as he fumbled with his seatbelt. “Ma’am.”</p><p>“Dingle,” Sarge said briskly. “Nice of you to tell me you’re back in work. I don’t appreciate having to hear it from one of my clearly more loyal officers.”</p><p>Aaron winced. “Sorry, Ma’am.”</p><p>“That’s a matter for another time. Where are you now?”</p><p>“Just leaving the hospital,” Aaron replied. “Ma’am, Finn-“</p><p>“I’m fully aware of what Officer Woodall has done. Now, our biggest priorities are locating Gemini and bringing Woodall into custody. I don’t suppose I can convince you to come back to the station and leave this to another team? Having one of my officers in pursuit unarmed is not my ideal situation.”</p><p>Aaron shook his head to himself. “Sorry, Ma’am. I can’t come back until Robert’s found.”</p><p>The Sarge was silent for a moment. “Very well,” she said, though she didn’t sound happy about it. “Will you put me on speaker so Adam can hear me?”</p><p>“Ma’am,” Adam said.</p><p>“Barton. We’ve had a positive ID on street-level CCTV of Gemini and Woodall going into the underground station next to the hospital.”</p><p>Aaron groaned, thudding his head back against the headrest. “Brilliant. They could be almost anywhere in London by now.”</p><p>“That’s about the size of it. We’re watching the CCTV on the underground to see where they come out, and I’ve sent units to cover the airports. There are alerts out in all the other police stations, too, so if anyone sees them, they’ll report it to me. Sit tight, someone will spot them.”</p><p>“And until then? What do we do?”</p><p>“Go to Kensington. Check the residence for any signs that they’ve been there.”</p><p>“Copy that.” Adam said. “Thanks, Ma’am.”</p><p>Sarge hung up. Adam turned the car around and Aaron reached out to press the button to set off the wailing sirens. Cars began to part in front of them and Adam shifted up a gear, weaving in and out of the traffic.</p><p>Aaron leaned back in his seat and stared at his phone, willing it to ring, for some sort of sign that Robert was at least alive. If Finn had been planning this for so long, who knew what he had planned. No one could hold onto that level of hatred forever. He stopped those thoughts there, pushing down on the panic that was slowly building inside him.</p><p>With some effort, he put his phone away, focusing on the streets outside until they got to Kensington. They were waved through the gates as usual, and Adam pulled up outside Robert’s house.</p><p>“We can’t get in,” Adam said. “No key.”</p><p>“I know, but we can at least try and see if anyone else has been here.” Aaron got out of the car and jogged up the steps to the front door. He gave it a push, checking the locks. “No signs of forced entry. I don’t think they’ve been here.”</p><p>“Copy,” Adam said. “I’ll let the station know.”</p><p>Aaron looked up at the windows as Adam spoke on the phone. The curtains were drawn across the windows. The thought occurred to him that perhaps they were in there, that they’d used Robert’s keys and Finn had barricaded them both inside. He considered shouting, but if they were in there, Finn hearing Aaron’s voice might only push him further towards the edge.</p><p>“Mate!” Adam called. Aaron abandoned his plans to break the door down and turned. Adam waved the phone at him. “Sarge wants to speak to us again.”</p><p>Aaron hurried back to the car, sliding in and shutting the door behind him. Adam held the phone up between them.</p><p>“New development,” Sarge said. “Woodall has been spotted at Waterloo station. He was seen at one of the ticket machines.”</p><p>“And Robert?” Aaron interrupted.</p><p>“No sign, though the staff at Waterloo have confirmed that Woodall bought two one-way tickets to Edinburgh.”</p><p>“Edinburgh?” Aaron repeated.</p><p>Adam cast a look at him. “Where’s Finn now, Ma’am?”</p><p>“We lost sight of him about ten minutes ago. We’ve got people on the ticket barriers, though, and he’s not tried to get on a train as of yet. Units are being sent there now.”</p><p>“We’re on our way,” Adam said. “Thanks Ma’am.”</p><p>“Be careful, please,” she said, and Aaron thought he could hear a note of concern in her voice. “We don’t know where Woodall’s head is at. He’s volatile.”</p><p>“Yes, Ma’am.”</p><p>Adam hung up and turned the car around to join the main road. Aaron tapped his fingers on his knee, mouth going dry now he knew he was close.</p><p>“Why is he taking him to Edinburgh?” he wondered aloud to Adam. “He and I were only there a couple of weeks ago.”</p><p>“It does seem a bit of an obvious place to go,” Adam said. He changed down a gear to take a sharp corner. “Are you going to tell me what’s been going on between you two, then?”</p><p>Aaron bit the inside of his lip. “What?”</p><p>“Don’t play that game with me, Aaron. I know you too well, and I know what I’ve been seeing and hearing over the past few weeks. Your concern for him goes a bit beyond professional, doesn’t it?”</p><p>“Adam…”</p><p>“No, you don’t have to explain,” Adam said. “I just need to know where you’re at. I saw how you were with him when he got shot. I’ve seen the way he looks at you, too. He’s in deep.”</p><p>Aaron closed his eyes, frowning at the pull in his chest. “He ain’t the only one.”</p><p>Adam reached over to give Aaron’s knee a rough squeeze. “We’ll find him, mate. I promise.”</p><p>Aaron glanced at the time on the dashboard. “Can’t you go any faster?”</p><p>“I’m going as quick as I can,” Adam said as he ran a red light. “Oi, listen. You can’t go rushing in when we get there. If he spots us, he’ll panic and then we might not find Sugden.”</p><p>Aaron looked down at the jeans and grey hoodie he’d dressed in for his train journey back to the city that morning. “We’re not in our suits, we’ve got a good chance of blending in.”</p><p>“Yeah, but he’ll be looking out for us. You need to be careful. Finn is clearly dangerous. By the sounds of it, he and Moira still want revenge. You acting the hero could end up badly for you and Robert. Do you hear what I’m saying?”</p><p>Aaron nodded. “I hear you.”</p><p>Adam left the car behind of the police vans parked at the entrance to the station. They stopped a taxi in its tracks crossing the street and then ran up the flight of stone steps leading into the white-tiled expanse of Waterloo Station.</p><p>The bustle inside was unsettlingly normal. People marched back and forth, wheeling suitcases, talking on phones. Trains hissed on the platforms; the sound pierced by the continuous beep of people passing through ticket barriers.</p><p>Aaron and Adam stood to the side of the entrance and scanned the vicinity, looking for any sign of someone they knew.</p><p>“I don’t know where everyone is,” Aaron said, frustrated. “We haven’t got radios.”</p><p>“What do you want to do?”</p><p>“Split up?” Aaron suggested. “I’ll check the bathrooms; you do a quick scan of the shops and see if there’s any sign.”</p><p>“No chance. You’re unarmed, and Finn’s a nutcase. You’re sticking with me.”</p><p>Aaron rolled his eyes. “Fine. Shops first then. If you see anyone from the office, stop them.”</p><p>“Copy.”</p><p>They tried to blend in, walking past the row of shops that stood along the station wall. It was still only mid-afternoon, and the relative quiet before the end of day rush helped them clear the shops one by one in good time. They came to end of the station, hovering across from platform one.</p><p>“Look,” Adam said, nudging Aaron in the arm. Aaron followed his nod to where an officer in plainclothes was stood close to the barriers. He was scanning the area, the picture of nonchalance. Aaron caught his eye and saw the flash of recognition there.</p><p>“Let’s go and ask him what the plan is,” he said, and Adam nodded.</p><p>They began making their way over. A chance look to Aaron’s right alerted him to a man in a black jacket with the hood pulled up over his head. The man looked right, eyes glazing past them, and Aaron caught a glint of rectangle-framed glasses.</p><p>He stopped, grabbing Adam’s arm to hold him back. “There.”</p><p>“Got him,’ Adam said. Aaron saw him move his hand to his hip. “Where’s Sugden, though?”</p><p>Finn fed his ticket into the barriers. The doors opened and he checked over his shoulder, stepping through. Aaron caught the eye of the officer nearby. He nodded once at Aaron, drawing his gun.</p><p>“Police!” Aaron yelled. “Stay where you are!”</p><p>Finn turned, saw both Aaron running for him and the officer and Adam with their guns trained on him, and broke into a flat sprint to the open doors of the train.</p><p>“Finn!” Aaron bellowed. “Wait!”</p><p>He got caught at the barriers. An attendant in a yellow hi-vis hurried over, hovering her card over the gates. The doors jerked open again, and Aaron ran through, Adam half a step behind him.</p><p>He saw Finn disappear onto the train. To his horror, the doors began beeping and sliding closed. He pushed as hard as he could, muscles in his thighs screaming at him, and threw himself into the carriage. Adam was forced to stop outside, narrowly missing getting his arms caught in the doors.</p><p>Aaron watched him frantically pressing the button to open the doors. Nothing happened.</p><p>“They’re not opening!” he called through the glass. “Stay there, I’ll find someone to stop the train.”</p><p>Aaron looked around the empty carriage and then back at Adam. “Pass me your gun!”</p><p>“Are you joking? There’s no way your going into this by yourself!”</p><p>“Your gun, Adam! Quickly!” Adam stretched up to the train window. Aaron pushed it open, taking the weapon from him. “Stop the train, get the doors open. Alert the units that we’ve found them.”</p><p>“Aaron, stop for a second. There are civilians on the train!”</p><p>“I won’t do anything to put them in danger. Get the train stopped.”</p><p>Adam met his eyes through the glass. Aaron saw him swallow, and then he nodded. “Boss.”</p><p>Underneath his feet, the train swayed, and began to move out of the station. Aaron turned away from Adam and exhaled, steeling himself. Then he checked the gun and tucked it into his belt. He began walking through the middle of the carriage, forcing himself not to run. He checked each seat as he passed, heart rate increasing with each row that he found empty.</p><p>There were passengers in the second carriage he passed though, some reading papers, some listening to music. A couple cast him a cursory glance, and then went back to looking out of the window.</p><p>The train rattled slowly onto the tracks. The city drifted past, oblivious to what was happening inside the carriage. Aaron willed Adam to hurry up, to stop the train so backup could reach him. He tried to suppress it, but he knew the trembling in his stomach was down to pure fear. Only the need to find Robert pushed him on.</p><p>The third carriage was empty, aside from one person sat halfway down in a window seat. He had his hood up and was slumped down so far that Aaron was almost on top of him before he saw him. Aaron curled his fingers around his gun and crept forward.</p><p>Just as he reached him, the man stood and turned. Aaron pulled his gun, pointing it right between Finn’s wide eyes.</p><p>“Don’t. Move,” Aaron said. “Move an inch, and I swear-“</p><p>Finn’s arm twisted from behind him so fast Aaron almost missed it. He found himself staring down the barrel of Finn’s gun. They watched each other in silence.</p><p>“It’s always you, isn’t it,” Finn said. Aaron kept quiet, watching him. There was flinty edge to his eyes, steely and sparking. “You get in the way every single time.”</p><p>Aaron didn’t dare let himself look away. He focused on keeping his hand steady. “Finn, don’t do anything stupid, yeah? Think about this.”</p><p>“All I’ve done is think about this!” Finn said. He jabbed the gun at Aaron. “Months, I was planning it! Trust you to be back on the day we were leaving!”</p><p>Cautiously, Aaron took one hand off the gun, holding it palm up towards him. “Look, I know you’re angry, but this isn’t the right way-“</p><p>“Of course I’m angry! My mother lost everything! <em>We</em> lost everything! We were destitute, we lost our home! All because of him!”</p><p>“It was his father,” Aaron said without thinking. “Not him. He tried to fix things!”</p><p>“That’s what he wants you to think! He needs to pay for what he’s done!”</p><p>Finn cocked his gun, and Aaron heart thudded in his ears. “Ok,” he said. “Ok. Let’s not be too hasty. We can talk about this, yeah? You just need to put your gun down.”</p><p>“No,” Finn scoffed. “We’re going away from here. Don’t think you can stop us. I’ve failed twice already. Not again.”</p><p>“How?” Aaron asked in a bid to keep him talking. He willed Adam to hurry up. “The letters, the attacks, it was all you, wasn’t it?”</p><p>“All me,” Finn said with a smile. He tilted his head to the left, considering. “People can be so blind when they want to be. The office was supposed to be easy. I told you to go around the back, so all I had to do was park there and wait for him. But you were too quick, and I misjudged the shot. Then last week. I broke the fire alarm, got ‘lost’ in the crowd. But you made him move, so I misfired and got him in the stomach instead.” He lifted his gun a fraction. “You need to stop getting in my way, Aaron.”</p><p>Aaron swallowed. “We can talk, though, can’t we? Why don’t you tell me where he is? Is he hurt?”</p><p>“Why do you care? <em>How</em> can you care about him?” Finn asked. “He destroyed so many lives; but that doesn’t matter to you at all, does it? You follow him around thinking the two of you are so secretive, spending time in his house, <em>gazing</em> at each other in the office. He doesn’t deserve to be happy!”</p><p>Aaron swallowed the bitterness he felt at the knowledge that Finn had been watching them. “He does. Tell me where he is. Now.”</p><p>The train juddered then, and Aaron steadied himself on a nearby seat as they braked sharply. Finn looked out of the windows, wide-eyed.</p><p>Aaron used his distraction to knock the gun out of his hand. Finn pulled the trigger as he did, and Aaron heard a bang in the metal ceiling of the carriage. He kicked the gun away and then shoved Finn backwards so he stumbled and fell. Aaron flipped him over, sitting on the back of his thighs and gripping his wrists behind his back. Finn struggled, then went still when Aaron pushed the barrel of his gun into the square of his back.</p><p>“Ooh, violence. That’s against protocol, you know,” Finn said breathlessly. “You’re not as good a policeman as you think you are, Dingle.”</p><p>Aaron’s vision tinged red at the edges. “Tell me where he is.”</p><p>“Don’t think I will,” Finn said in a sing-song voice. “With any luck, he’ll have bled to death by now.”</p><p>Aaron ground his teeth together. He pushed the barrel hard into him. “Where. Is. He.”</p><p>“Not telling!” Finn dissolved into manic giggles.</p><p>The trained shuddered to a halt. The doors beeped, and then there were shouts from the outside, heavy footsteps clambering into the carriage.</p><p>“On your six,” he heard from behind him. Adam clambered over them, silver handcuffs glinting in his fist. “Got you, boss.”</p><p>It took a mammoth amount of strength to release Finn and let Adam take over. Aaron stood, wiping the back of his hand across his mouth. He pushed on, heading for the next carriage.</p><p>Passengers in the next carriage were looking around at each other, confused. Some shrunk back in their seats as Aaron appeared, and he tucked his gun away so as not to alarm them further.</p><p>"Excuse me?" An elderly gentleman from his left said. "Do you know what’s going on? Only, we heard a bang from next door, and now we’ve stopped."</p><p>"Er, technical difficulties," Aaron said, already moving past him. "Won’t be long."</p><p>“But it’s my wife, you see. She needs to use the bathroom, but the one on the train has been marked out of order.”</p><p>Aaron froze. He turned slowly where he stood. “What?”</p><p>“The bathroom. We were told it was working, but there’s a sign that says, ‘out of order’.”</p><p>The rest of the passengers scattered back into their seats as Aaron barrelled through them to the bathroom that joined that carriage and the next. There was a makeshift sign stuck on there with Sellotape. Aaron ripped it off and hammered on the door.</p><p>“Robert?” he yelled. “Rob?”</p><p>There was no sound from inside. Aaron stepped back, then used the butt of his gun to break the lock.</p><p>He slid the door open, and almost buckled to his knees.</p><p>Robert lay slumped against the wall of the train, head lolling one side. His eyes were closed, and entire front of his shirt was soaked red. Aaron skidded forward, dropping to the floor next to him.</p><p>“Rob,” he said, shaking Robert by the shoulder gently. He put a hand to his forehead, wincing at the clammy feel of his skin. “Come on, Rob. Wake up for me, come on.”</p><p>Robert’s chest rose as he took a deep breath, and Aaron almost collapsed with relief. His eyelids twitched, and then Aaron was looking into the green of his eyes. Robert opened his mouth, a hoarse sound leaving him.</p><p>“It’s ok, it’s ok,” Aaron said. “I’ve got you now.”</p><p>A ghost of a smile passed Robert’s lips. He winced in pain, and Aaron looked down at his abdomen. Carefully, he lifted Robert’s shirt and then averted his eyes as his own stomach rolled.</p><p>“That’s going to need stitching up again,” he told Robert. “Stay awake for me, yeah? We’ll get you back to hospital.”</p><p>Robert wet his lips with his tongue and tried to say something. He swallowed and tried again.</p><p>“What was that?” Aaron said, leaning closer to him.</p><p>“I said,” Robert croaked. “I’m getting quite good at hiding in bathrooms.”</p><p>Aaron felt his expression crumple. Wetness gathered at the corner of his eyes, and his laugh of pure relief came out thick. He shuffled closer, putting his hand on Robert’s chest to feel the sure, steady beat of his heart as the sound of paramedics calling for them reached their ears.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thanks for reading! One chapter left!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Chapter 12</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Aaron watched from the behind the two-way mirror.</p>
<p>Finn sat across the table from the interviewer, his face the picture of boredom. He was rocking back on two legs in his chair, arms folded across his chest and looking anywhere but the officer sat opposite him. Aaron’s colleague occasionally threw exasperated glances at the mirror at Finn’s total unwillingness to talk. Each question he’d asked so far had been met with silence, as if Finn couldn’t hear him at all.</p>
<p>At first, Aaron wanted to storm in there and make him talk, demand answers from him. He was still angry, so angry he could virtually feel it thrumming through his veins, but he made himself stay put. He reminded himself that they'd caught him, he couldn't do any more harm now. Plus, Aaron knew he was already in enough trouble with Sarge, he didn’t want to do anything to add to it.</p>
<p>"Were there any other people working with you while you were planning your revenge on Mr Sugden?" the officer asked.</p>
<p>Finn started whistling tunelessly, examining the tiles in the ceiling. Aaron rolled his eyes.</p>
<p>Adam came through the door behind him. He stood next to Aaron, clapping a hand to his shoulder.</p>
<p>"Still here?"</p>
<p>"Yeah." Aaron inclined his head towards Finn. "I wanted to stay to see what he had to say."</p>
<p>"And what has he said?"</p>
<p>"Aside from a ‘no comment’ right at the beginning, nothing." Aaron sighed. "Although he has just requested a lawyer."</p>
<p>"Fat lot of good that’ll do him," Adam scoffed. "We’ve got enough to charge him already. Attempted murder, kidnap, the list goes on."</p>
<p>"I know," Aaron said. "I’ve half a mind to go in there anyway and make him talk."</p>
<p>Adam snorted. "You and me both. I head that Sarge is looking for you, by the way. Wants a ‘chat’." Aaron heard the emphasis in his voice.</p>
<p>"I figured she would. I’m going to try and put it off for as long as I can, though. At least until after I’ve seen Robert."</p>
<p>"How is he?"</p>
<p>Aaron tore his eyes from Finn, meeting Adam’s concerned expression. "I don’t know. Stitched back up, I hope."</p>
<p>He thought of the paramedics reaching them, of Robert being strapped to a stretcher and disappearing in a haze of sirens before he could say anything more to him. He’d had to escort Finn to the station, but was just waiting for the right time to slip away to the hospital without too many people noticing.</p>
<p>Finn turned his head to look at the mirror again. Aaron knew he couldn’t see them through it, but a shiver ran up his spine at the look in his eyes. He was oddly calm now compared to his behaviour on the train earlier. He’d kicked and screamed his way into the police van, but when they’d opened the doors again at the station, he’d followed them inside without a word. It was as if the person sat in front of them now and the person that had pointed at gun at Aaron earlier were two completely different people.</p>
<p>"Have we located Moira?"</p>
<p>"Not yet, but we’re on it," Adam said. "Last place of residence was somewhere in Wales, though, so god knows why Finn was taking Robert to Scotland."</p>
<p>"I’ll see if Robert knows anything."</p>
<p>"Ok. Don’t ask anything that could get you into any more trouble, though, yeah? We’ve not taken a statement from Robert yet, and Sarge is livid that you went on that train by yourself. I know, I know," he held up a hand to stop Aaron protesting. "I probably would have done the same thing in your position."</p>
<p>"She’s going to put me on desk duty for a year, isn’t she?"</p>
<p>"Oh, yeah, without a doubt."</p>
<p>Despite himself, Aaron smiled. It faded again when Finn let his chair fall back onto four legs with a thump, sending another glare towards the two-way mirror.</p>
<p>"How did we miss it, Adam? He was right there, all this time. We were literally feeding him the information he needed. He got himself trained and transferred in so he could get clear access to hurt Robert. And he managed it."</p>
<p>"You can’t beat yourself up, mate." Adam squeezed his shoulder briefly. "We got him eventually."</p>
<p>"Too late, though. Robert still got shot. He still nearly bled out on a train."</p>
<p>"Oi," Adam said, firm. "You know how this goes. You can’t let him get in your head. We’ve got him. Robert’s safe."</p>
<p>"I could still kill him."</p>
<p>"If you did, you’d find yourself locked up with him, and I don’t think Robert would like that very much. Look, I can’t hold Sarge off for long." He jerked his head at the door behind them. "You’d better get off before visiting hours end."</p>
<p>"Thanks, Ad."</p>
<p>Aaron snuck out of the station, checking behind his shoulder every few seconds to make sure Sarge wasn’t on the warpath</p>
<p>The hospital corridors were quiet when Aaron got there, visiting hours just coming to an end. Robert had been stowed away in a private room down numerous twisting corridors, and Aaron took two wrong turns before he managed to find the right place; all the hallways looked the same, with their white painted walls and shiny linoleum floor.</p>
<p>Aaron flashed his badge at the officer stationed outside the door, and then knocked twice before giving it a gentle push.</p>
<p>All was quiet save for the gentle beeping of the heart rate monitor. Despite the broad daylight outside the blinds were down and the lights dimmed. Yellow light from the one solitary lamp gave the room a warm, sleepy feel.</p>
<p>Robert’s eyes were closed, his bed propped halfway up. Aaron closed the door softly behind him and paused, unsure. Robert had been relieved to see him on the train, but now, out of danger, Aaron didn’t know if he still felt that way. The argument they’d had still weighed heavy between them. What if Robert didn’t want anything to do with him anymore?</p>
<p>He moved to the chair at his bedside. The thin plastic creaked as he sat, and Robert’s eyes slid open. Aaron swallowed, shifting under his gaze. He tried to get comfortable on the hard chair and winced as it creaked again.</p>
<p>"Hi," Aaron said eventually, nothing else coming to his mind. "Have they stitched you up?" he asked, and Robert nodded. "Good. Won’t be long until you’re back on your feet, will it? Then we can get you home, and you can rest properly. Get you back to normal…"</p>
<p>He trailed off, silently berating himself for being so clumsy with words. There were so many things he wanted to say. How scared he’d been, how the very thought of losing Robert had made him chase his kidnapper along a train with no backup, how the thought of almost being shot himself was nothing compared to the hell he’d nearly unleashed when he thought he might have been too late to get to Robert. And mostly, how he knew he’d do anything to make sure he’d never be hurt like that again.</p>
<p>But none of that came. The words all tangled together on his tongue and dissipated before they took any proper shapes. Instead he held Robert’s eye, trying to tell him a different way.</p>
<p>Robert watched him in silence. Then he lifted his hand from where it rested on his thigh and extended it to Aaron. Aaron grabbed at it, linking their fingers and holding onto him. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the bed next to Robert’s hip and clutching onto his hand.</p>
<p>"I’m so sorry," Aaron said, sounding strangled. "For everything. I can’t-"</p>
<p>Robert inhaled to speak, and then choked. Startled, Aaron jumped up, reaching for the plastic cup of water on his bedside table. He handed it Robert, watching in concern as Robert sipped at the cup and then handed it back to him, slumping down into the sheets and holding his stomach, face pale.</p>
<p>"Are you ok?" Aaron said. "Should I go and get someone?"</p>
<p>Robert shook his head. He gestured for Aaron to sit down, and then took his hand again. "I’m fine," he rasped. "You just surprised me."</p>
<p>"Surprised you?"</p>
<p>Robert nodded. "I don’t understand. Why are <em>you</em> sorry?"</p>
<p>Aaron stared at him. "I thought that would be obvious. For letting you get shot. For not keeping you safe. For not doing my <em>job.</em>"</p>
<p>Robert’s eyebrows drew together.</p>
<p>"Last time I checked, you weren’t the one holding the gun."</p>
<p>"No, but I still should have stopped him. If I’d figured it out sooner-"</p>
<p>"Aaron, don’t."</p>
<p>"And that stupid, <em>stupid </em>argument we had at the conference. I didn’t mean any of it I swear, I was just worried, and stressed, and I took it out on you and that wasn’t fair."</p>
<p>"I’m as much to blame," Robert said. His voice rasped again, and he paused a moment to clear his throat. "Trying to do things behind your back, thinking I’d be able to get away with it. I almost deserved to be shot."</p>
<p>"What? Don’t joke, Robert. You could have been seriously hurt, even more so than you already are."</p>
<p>"I’m not joking," Robert said, earnest. His fingers tightened in Aaron’s. "I was toeing the line, and I crossed it. I’m just lucky you were there."</p>
<p>"But I <em>wasn’t</em> there. I wasn’t even in the same city, and Finn was dragging you off to Scotland."</p>
<p>"You weren’t there because you’d been forced to take time off," Robert countered. "Adam told me. Aaron, stop, ok? I don’t blame you for anything, and you shouldn’t blame yourself, either."</p>
<p>"How can you not?" Aaron said. He looked down at the white bed sheets, swallowing hard. "I didn’t look after you."</p>
<p>"Look at me. <em>Aaron</em>, look at me."</p>
<p>Aaron lifted his head, albeit reluctantly.</p>
<p>"How can you blame yourself, after you were the one who came onto the train to get me? You didn’t know what you were walking into, what Finn was going to do, and you still came."</p>
<p>Aaron lifted one corner of his mouth. "I told you I would, though, remember? In your house, right after that first attack in the office. You asked if I’d come if you needed me."</p>
<p>"And you said you would." Robert nodded. "I remember. See? You kept your promise. And I’m fine. Well, I won’t be able to do much for the next few weeks, but I’ll get there."</p>
<p>Robert disentangled one of his hands from Aaron’s and rested it on Aaron’s cheek. Aaron leaned into him, closing his eyes against the wetness that was building there. He rubbed the scruff of his beard into the soft skin of Robert’s palm, hearing Robert make a noise in the back of his throat.</p>
<p>He opened his eyes, remembering what Adam had said in the station. "Adam said Finn was taking you to Scotland. Bit weird, that. Moira’s living in Wales."</p>
<p>"Ah," Robert said, smiling. He moved his thumb to trace under Aaron’s eye. "That might have been my doing. I told him that if we went to Wales you’d find us there straightaway if you found out that’s where Moira was living. I managed to convince him you wouldn’t think to look for me in Edinburgh."</p>
<p>"Edinburgh?"</p>
<p>"Yeah. Even if no one else remembered we’d been there, I knew you would."</p>
<p>Aaron covered the hand on his cheek with his own, feeling his heart swell. "That’s your knack of convincing people coming in handy again."</p>
<p>"Exactly. Well it worked, didn’t it? You would have known to which part of Scotland to go to."</p>
<p>"Well, yeah, but I also would have torn the country apart if I’d had to." Aaron caught himself. "I mean, with a team, obviously, because of the way we work, we would have spread out and-"</p>
<p>"Me, too," Robert cut him off. Aaron fell silent. "I mean, if the roles had been reversed. I would have done the same."</p>
<p>Aaron stilled for a second. Then he stood abruptly, the metal legs of his chair screeching across the floor. He leaned over Robert to press their mouths together. Robert sighed under his lips, fingers stroking over the short strands of hair at the base of Aaron’s neck. He slowed Aaron’s frantic kisses, using his other hand to hold his chin steady. Aaron’s hands fluttered, smoothing up Robert’s arms to his shoulders, careful not to touch anywhere near his abdomen.</p>
<p>"I’m mad for you, you know," Aaron confessed, drawing back just enough to speak. "When I couldn’t find you- I’ve never felt anything like it. I’d have done anything."</p>
<p>He kept his eyes closed, afraid of Robert’s reaction. He felt a finger touch his bottom lip, and blinked, lifting his gaze to meet Roberts.</p>
<p>"Good job I’m not going anywhere, then isn’t it?"</p>
<p>Aaron huffed a laugh. "Yeah. S’pose it is."</p>
<p>He leaned in again, but Robert pressed his finger into his lips.</p>
<p>"For the record," Robert said, smile wonderful. "The feeling’s mutual. You might just be the best thing that’s happened to me."</p>
<p>He pulled Aaron down again then, kissing the beaming smile from Aaron’s lips.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>*****</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"She has my ears."<br/>
<br/>
"Your ears? Don’t be daft."<br/>
<br/>
"No, she does, look, the little upturn in the corner…"<br/>
<br/>
Aaron stood in the doorway, watching his mum and Paddy bicker quietly. They were leaning over the cot, cooing over the little bundle swaddled in pink blankets. An aerial of fluffy little lions and giraffes circled gently overhead, occasionally bumping over the top of Paddy’s head where he was bent over.<br/>
<br/>
"She’s got my nose, though," Chas said, then paused. "Hopefully my hair, too, seeing as you haven’t got any."<br/>
<br/>
"Good one."<br/>
<br/>
Aaron cleared his throat and stepped into the room. Chas and Paddy turned; matching smiles stretched across their faces. They looked tired, still recovering from their stay in hospital. Amelia had taken her time coming into the world, and Chas had suffered as a result. Now she was home, the trauma had almost been forgotten. They were besotted, and Aaron had to admit that he was, too.<br/>
<br/>
"Hello, love," Chas said. She held out her arm to him, and Aaron went to wrap an arm around her waist. "Everything all right?"<br/>
<br/>
"Yeah," Aaron said. "He’s outside with a coffee. Said he wanted some fresh air."<br/>
<br/>
"That’ll do him good. Here, do you want to hold her?"<br/>
<br/>
Aaron looked down at the tiny body in the cot. Her little arms flailed in her pink bodysuit. "Yeah, ok."<br/>
<br/>
Chas bent down, scooping Amelia up and depositing her carefully into Aaron’s arms.<br/>
<br/>
"Watch her head, there you go…"<br/>
<br/>
Aaron looked down at the bundle in his arms. She was so small, so light, that he was suddenly terrified that he’d drop her. He didn’t dare move a muscle, just stood very still, watching her little nose wrinkle.<br/>
<br/>
"She’s gorgeous, Mum."<br/>
<br/>
"Isn’t she," Chas said. "Gave me a hell of a time, but she was worth it."<br/>
<br/>
"I’ll say," Paddy said. "I’ve never seen anything so beautiful."<br/>
<br/>
Aaron looked up in time to see Paddy blinking back tears. "Come on, Pads, not in front of the baby, hey?"<br/>
<br/>
"Can’t help it."<br/>
<br/>
Amelia fussed a little in Aaron’s arms, making little squeaking sounds. Aaron froze, and she became even more restless, squirming a little.<br/>
<br/>
"Relax, love," Chas said. "She’s fine."<br/>
<br/>
"I don’t wanna hurt her."<br/>
<br/>
"You won’t."<br/>
<br/>
Paddy took pity on him. "All right, big brother, give her here."<br/>
<br/>
Aaron transferred the wriggling blankets over and smiled gratefully. "I need some practise, I reckon."<br/>
<br/>
"Well, you’ve got plenty of time for some."<br/>
<br/>
Aaron looked at Chas. "Are you sure it’s all right, us staying here? You’ve got enough to contend with, surely you don’t want us getting in your way."<br/>
<br/>
"You could never be in the way, Aaron," Chas said. She squeezed his arm. "It’s nice having you here. Plus, this is the best place for Robert to be. In a home, with people around him. Out of the city and away from work, too. You’re the ones who have got to contend with being woken up by madam in the middle of the night."<br/>
<br/>
"We don’t mind," Aaron said.<br/>
<br/>
"Great. You two can be on nappy duty when we need a break, then."<br/>
<br/>
"Whatever we can do to say thank you," Aaron replied. He smiled at Amelia and clapped Paddy on the arm before making his retreat, closing the door behind him.<br/>
<br/>
He could hear Robert speaking as he made his way to the back door leading onto the garden. Aaron paused a second, then stepped out onto the patio.<br/>
<br/>
"Yeah, ok. I’ll see you then. Bye." He put the phone down, forehead wrinkled in confusion.<br/>
<br/>
"You ok?" Aaron said, taking the seat next to Robert. He was dressed in joggers and a jumper, which was the most relaxed looking Aaron had ever seen him. It suited him, though, Aaron thought. It was a nice break from the suits he was always wearing.<br/>
<br/>
Robert held his palm out and Aaron took it, linking their fingers together in such a casual display of affection Aaron couldn’t help but smile.<br/>
<br/>
"Yeah, I think so," Robert said. "You’ll never guess who I was talking to just then. Andy."<br/>
<br/>
Aaron frowned. "Really? What did he want?"<br/>
<br/>
"To meet," Robert said, shaking his head in disbelief. "Said something about wanting to say his piece if I’d give him the time. Clear the air."<br/>
<br/>
"Are you ok with that?"<br/>
<br/>
"I think so," Robert said. "I almost said no to begin with, but I think it’s time we tried to build a bridge. We can’t go on fighting forever. He’s going to come to the office in a couple of weeks; I thought it was best to meet on neutral ground."<br/>
<br/>
"That’s sensible. Be careful, though, yeah? We don’t know what he wants."<br/>
<br/>
Robert raised his eyebrows. "Still suspicious of him, aren’t you?"<br/>
<br/>
"Sorry," Aaron said. "It’s just-"<br/>
<br/>
"The job, I know. You can be there, if you like. If it’ll make you feel better."<br/>
<br/>
Aaron rubbed his thumb across Robert’s fingers in thanks. He looked out over the garden, watching a warm breeze rustle through the branches of the trees. It was a warm day, any hotter and it would be uncomfortable. They’d only been at Chas and Paddy’s for a day, but there was rapidly growing sense of peace inside him that made him content to just sit at Robert’s side and just be.<br/>
<br/>
"Have you heard anything from the station?" Robert asked after a while spent in comfortable silence.<br/>
<br/>
"Only from Adam, saying they’ve formally charged Finn. Message from Sarge, too, saying she hoped I was having a ‘relaxing time away’ so far. Dunno where that’s come from, but I think she was quite relieved when I told her I was taking a break. Saved her an awkward conversation."<br/>
<br/>
"What will happen with Finn now?"<br/>
<br/>
"There’ll be a trial. Depending on what he says, you might have to give evidence." Aaron saw Robert swallow. "Don’t think about all that now, though. Focus on getting better."<br/>
<br/>
"There’ll be others, though, won’t there?" Robert said. "Finn isn’t the only one upset and angry. He’s not the only one that wants answers. If others like him come for me, then-"<br/>
<br/>
"Then we’ll deal with it," Aaron said. He saw the worry in the green of Robert’s eyes. "No one but Adam and Sarge knows you’re here. We’ll think about work when we need to, but not before, ok?"<br/>
<br/>
Robert nodded. "Yes, boss."<br/>
<br/>
"Now you sound like Adam. What about the company? How are things at the office?"<br/>
<br/>
"Fine, I think. I haven’t heard much, so I’m taking that as good sign."<br/>
<br/>
"I’m surprised you haven’t been on the phone to them every five minutes, checking in."<br/>
<br/>
"Nah," Robert shook his head. "They’re a good team, they can handle things for a while. It’s what I pay them for, anyway."<br/>
<br/>
Aaron noticed Robert’s eyes darting the mobile on the table next to him every so often, but he was true to his word and didn’t touch it. There had been a change in him ever since he’d come out of the hospital. He took his time with things, didn’t rush from one place to the next. He, like Aaron, seemed to be content to just sit and watch the sun move across the sky, thankful for the small but precious things that life offered. Hot coffee, warm sunshine, soft kisses from the person he was rapidly falling in love with. It might have only been Chas and Paddy’s back garden, but to Aaron, and by extension, Robert, it was nothing short of paradise. Even with a wailing newborn.</p>
<p>Aaron tore his gaze from Robert, rubbing his palms on his jeans. "Right. Another coffee?"<br/>
<br/>
Robert wrinkled his nose. "Yeah, ok. I’d prefer a pint, though."<br/>
<br/>
"No can do, I’m afraid. Not until you’re off your meds. Caffeine’s bad enough for you, anyway."<br/>
<br/>
"Spoilsport."<br/>
<br/>
Aaron stood and reached for Robert’s empty mug. "Oi, come off it. You think I went after you with no backup just so you can get yourself in trouble over a pint? Nah."<br/>
<br/>
"All right, all right, whatever you say." Robert stretched out gingerly in his chair, careful not to pull at his stomach. "I’ll just sit here, then. Let you wait on me hand and foot. I know you enjoy it, really."<br/>
<br/>
He winked. Aaron couldn’t help lean down to kiss him, catching his bottom lip between his own. Robert placed a hand on Aaron’s chest, fingers brushing his collarbone.</p>
<p>"And there I was thinking you were such a cocky bastard when we met," Aaron said, straightening.</p>
<p>Robert laughed. "Ah, some things will never change. I thought you were complete git, too. Who’d have thought?"</p>
<p>"Yeah," Aaron said gruffly, matching Robert’s smile. "Who’d have thought."</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The End. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And that's it! Thank you so much for reading this story and following it!  Thank you for also taking the time to press the kudos button or leave a comment, each one of them honestly makes my day.</p>
<p>I'll be back soon with my Robron Soulbond fic, stay tuned!</p>
<p>Stay safe x</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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